


Spirits, Demons, and Humans

by ReaderandWriter



Category: El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Alternate Universe - Historical, Christianity, Demons, Drama & Romance, F/M, Family, Fated to be together, Friends to Lovers, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Romance, Opposites Attract, Religion, Soulmates, Spirits, rescue romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-10
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-01-26 23:01:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 23
Words: 49,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21382024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReaderandWriter/pseuds/ReaderandWriter
Summary: Manny is half human half ancient tiger spirit trying to hide from his father's enemies while also trying to fit in society. Frida is a normal girl trying to get through high school until she gets stuck having a new room mate who's not completely human. The two have a rough start at first but they soon realize that they need each other to fight a great evil.
Relationships: Manny Rivera/Frida Suárez, Maria Rivera/Rodolfo Rivera, Original Male Character/Original Female Character, Zoe Aves/Django of the Dead
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment and let me know if this is any good.

Miracle City, a strange and mysterious town home to three types of beings. The humans, the spirits, and the demons. The spirits and demons were powerful beings that can use magic. Their powers come from nature, they can take on many forms and turn invisible. Neither of them can be seen in their true forms by humans unless they allow themselves be seen or if some humans posses the gift to see and feel their presence. But that is where the similarities end, you see they are actually complete opposites. Spirits were mostly good and tried to help mankind by protecting them but demons were evil and had little to no goodness in their hearts, mischievous creatures who delighted in the misery of others.

However despite their endless power there were rules that both spirits and demons had to follow, decreed by the council. They were forbidden to resurrect the dead, take over the universe, or do anything that would upset the balance of nature. But the most important rule of all was to never fall in love with a human. The love between a spirit/demon and a human could lead to a half spirit/demon being born and the council believed that such a being would cause great unbalance in the universe. Now there were spirits and demons who would break those rules but not one of them would ever dare let a halfling be brought into the world that is until...

It happened on a cold rainy night. A nun named Dolores was working late in the church when she heard a loud banging on the door.

"I wonder who that could be."

She opened the door to find a woman on the ground, dripping wet from the rain. She looked to be about in her late teens, she had long dark brown hair and brown eyes which were crying a river of tears. She looked like she was suffering unbearable pain and kept clutching her stomach which visibly showed that she was carrying a new life inside of her.

"Help me!" She begged. "Please help me!"

Dolores helped her into the church and got out two blankets and some water. Then she laid the young woman down, covered her with one of the blankets, and began to help her get through the long hours of contractions and pain.

"Okay you're doing great." She said. "Just a few more."

"Oh my God! Something's wrong! I can feel it!" The girl screamed hysterically. "Oh God! Help me!"

"Now push!"

She screamed and cried as she struggled to give birth to her child. As this went on Dolores prayed to God in her mind that all would be well.

"One more push!" Dolores said.

The young woman pushed harder than she ever had and let out a blood curdling scream. Then cries of a baby were heard.

"It's a boy." Dolores said as she wrapped up the baby in the second blanket.

The woman looked at her newborn son, smiled weakly, then passed out from exhaustion. Dolores quickly sent someone for help and went to baptize the infant while waiting. Outside, watching everything from a far was a man in his early twenties, he had black hair and a strong chin. He blew a kiss toward the unconscious woman and her baby then disappeared into the night.

Fifteen years later...

"My father's gonna kill me!" Walking home from school was Frida Suarez. A fifteen year old girl with medium length blue hair, blue eyes, and fair skin. She had been late to school again and the teacher decided to send a note about it. This was the third time it happened this month no doubt this would cost her, her rock and roll privileges. But that was the least of her worries because when she came home.

"Frida! This is unacceptable!" Emiliano shouted.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry."

"As punishment you're going to go out and pull up wild onions."

"What?! You're crazy! Getting those out will take forever."

"Then I suggest you get started young lady. I want at least ten out but if it gets dark before you finish you can come home."

"Yes sir." Frida grumbled the whole way to the fields. For hours she tried to pull up the wild onions but they were as tough as nails.

"Hey look Sofia! It's the blue haired freak!" Frida glitched her teeth as she heard the snickering of Marla and Sofia. Two very snobby and annoying girls who liked to make fun of her.

"What do you two brats want?" Frida asked.

"We just wanted to help." Sofia said.

"Really?"

"Yeah somebody has to let people know about your stinky new job!" Marla cackled.

Frida clenched her fists but smiled mischievously when she saw a pile of rocks.

"Ah-ha! Ha! Ow!"

Threw a rock which hit Marla right in the leg. She threw another one at Sofia's foot. She picked up a third and began to lightly toss it up and down as a warning. The girls quickly ran away screaming.

"Yeah that's right! Keep running! Go on! Get out of here! Scram! Before I shove my fist up your jaws!"

"I'm telling my daddy!" Marla called.

Frida laughed to herself feeling very pleased with what she did until she heard someone else laughing. She turned around to see if anyone else was there. But she couldn't see anyone or anything.

"Hello?" She called. "Who's there?"

No response.

"I know you're there! I heard you!"

Still nothing.

"Hmm. Must've been hearing things. Oh well back to work." She grabbed on to the onion stem and began to pull. "Come on! Come out!"

But it was a futile effort.

"Great! What else can go wrong?"

She heard a rustle up in the trees. She looked up at the trees but she couldn't see anything. No she did see something, hiding between the branches was something or someone. It was a boy, looking down on her.

"Hey! Didn't anyone ever tell you that it's not polite to stare?"

He didn't say anything.

"Hello up there! Are you deaf?"

He still didn't respond.

"Hey I'm talking to you!"

The boy looked around and then pointed to himself questionably.

"Yeah you! Hiding in the trees! With the big ears! Who the heck are you and why are you spying on me?"

He dropped from the trees, landing on his feet. Frida's eyes widened in disbelief at what she was looking at. It was a boy about her age but he had cat ears, whiskers, claws, a tail, and green eyes that were cat like.

"You can see me?" He asked surprised.

"Ye...yes." She said backing away. "I'm not blind."

He walked closer to her as she back up against a tree. He looked at her skeptically as if he was studying her. He poked her chest a couple of times and fiddled with a lock of her hair.

"Um...This is very uncomfortable for me so could you please stop?" She stood there akwardly as he sniffed her hair, neck, and arms but she drew the line when he sniffed up her legs. "Hey! Get off!"

She kicked him in the face.

"Ow! I think you broke my nose!" He said clutching his nose in pain.

"Serves you right! Looking up a girl's skirt!"

"Oh please! You're not even my type! I was trying to figure out if you were human."

"Of course I'm human! What else would I be?"

"Well you certainly smell like a human. But if you are one then how can you see me? I'm invisible which means humans can't see me."

"Well I can see you just fine and I'm definitely human but I'm not sure what you are." She looked up at his ears and began pulling on them. "Are these real?"

"Hey! Stop that!" She pulled on his tail. "Cut that out! Geez! That hurts you know. Seriously do you do that to everyone you meet?"

"Do you sniff everyone you meet?"

"Only the ones that are funny looking."

"Ugh! How dare you! I'm funny looking?! You're one to talk! You look like something made in a lab."

"My you've got a big mouth. I wonder who..." His ears twitched as he listened for something.

"Hello? Hello? Earth to weird cat boy?"

"Run." He whispered.

"Huh?"

"Run!"

"Run?"

"Yes! Run! Now!"

"Why?"

Then out of no where a tree was thrown toward them. The boy quickly grabbed her and jumped to safety.

"What the heck?" Frida thought.

The ground shook as a large, gruff man came running toward them.

"You are dead meat man!" He called.

"Run!" He told her again.

Frida took off running as fast as she could. She heard a tiger roar which made her run faster and faster until she came home. She quickly shut the door and locked it,

"Okay, okay, Frida. Calm down this is just a hallucination from...from something. Now I'm going to just take a deep breath and lie down."

Her parents had gone out and her sisters were shopping so she was alone. She turned on the TV and fixed herself some tea. An hour later she heard a tapping at the window. She went outside to investigate but didn't see anything.

"Probably my imagination again." She said going back inside.

"Probably not angel eyes."

Frida gasped to find that the strange boy was now sitting in her living room.

"Oh my God! How did you get in here?!"

"I just needed you to check the tapping outside so I could slip in through the door while you were distracted."

She grabbed a her father's taser and pointed it toward.

"Okay, you have exactly five seconds to answer my questions before I subject you to five kilowatts of electric power and I guarantee you there will be burns. Now who are you? What are you? And why are you in my house?"

"Whoa! Take it easy princesa. My name is Manny Rivera I am human well half human but other half of the ancient tiger spirit. I am the son of Rodolfo a the white panther spirit also that big hairy oaf is El Oso a bear demon who wants to kill me."

"Uh-huh. Okay I thought you were crazy before but now I'm sure you're insane."

"You calling me liar?"

"If the shoe fits where it."

"Alright then how else would I look like this?"

She thought for a moment and realized she couldn't come up with anything else so she decided to go along with this until she could.

"Fine! I'll buy it. Let's say this is true. But why are you in my house?"

"You see Senorita-"

"Frida!"

"Beg pardon?"

"My name is Frida."

"Whatever, you see I'm not supposed to exist. Spirits and demons aren't allowed to have children with humans but my father broke that rule also he has a lot of enemies who want revenge but they can't find him so they go after me. Normally I do fine on my own but well I need to lay low for awhile so I thought I could crash here."

"What?!"

"So you got anything to eat? I'm starving."

"Wait a minute! You can't stay with me!"

"Why not?"

"Well for one thing I don't even know you! Second thing you're not even fully human, and third my father won't even allow me to talk to boys let alone live with one."

"Then don't tell him, easy."

"Here's an idea why don't you go home to where you live?"

"Because it's gone."

"What do you mean gone?"

"I...I used to live in a church til I turned thirteen then a demon named El Mal Verde destroyed it. I've been on the run ever since."

"So you have no where else to go?"

"No."

"Don't you have a family? What about your father? Doesn't your father protect you?"

"I never knew the guy. I'm not sure he even knows I exist and if even he did he's forbidden from having any contact with me."

"Why is that?"

"I don't know that's just what I was told."

"What about your mother? Is she around?"

"Uh...I'd rather not talk about her right now."

"Okay I guess you can stay with me for a little while but no one must know about this especially my father and if you value your life you won't let him see you here."

"Don't worry I can just change invisible or take human form."

He snapped his fingers. His ears, tail, fangs, and claws vanished to reveal a regular looking boy with dark brown curly hair, brown eyes, and tan skin.

"See?"

"Uh...you know you're naked right?" Frida said shielding her eyes.

"Huh?" He looked down. "Ahh!"

He changed back.

"Sorry I forgot the suit only works in my spirit form. When I out grew my human clothes I just stayed in my spirit form for the next few years."

"Okay first thing tomorrow I'm taking you shopping."

They heard a car stop outside.

"That's my parents! Now stay in my room and whatever you do don't make a sound. If my father finds a teenage boy in my room he will send me to a boarding school and shoot you dead."

"Harsh much."

He looked out the window and watched her father, mother, and their police dogs step out of the car.

"Oh no! You have dogs?"

"Yes so?"

"Uh-oh."

"What is it?"

"Well hiding won't be that easy if you have pets."

"Can't you just hide from them?"

"I can hide from people easily except you for some bizarre reason but animals have stronger senses in hearing and smell which makes it harder for me to hide from them. Especially if it's cats and dogs."

"Oh great! Okay just stay here."

She went downstairs to greet her parents. But as soon as they were inside the dogs began barking like mad. They broke loose and bolted for her room.

"Delgado! Tanya! What's gotten into you?" Emiliano called as he chased after the dogs.

"Dad! Wait! I can explain!"

When they got to her room, the dogs were barking and snarling upward where Manny was clinging to the ceiling.

"What's the matter with you two? There's nothing there!"

Frida sighed in relief that her father couldn't see him.

"Come on you two! Outside now!"

Emiliano forced them out of her room and outside. Frida closed the door.

"You can come down now."

Manny dropped to her bed.

"You call those blood thirsty things pets?" Manny asked. "I've seen wolverines more gentle."

"I'm sorry they just really don't like cats."

"I am not just a cat! I'm a tiger."

"But technically speaking tigers are cats."

"Well that aside I'm hungry."

"Okay I'll get you something. What do you normally eat?"

"Whatever I get out of the garbage."

"Ewww!"

"Don't knock it til you try it."

"You're disgusting!"

"Hey a guy's gotta eat. When you're on the run and you have no money you eat what you can find."


	2. Chapter 2

A white panther climbed up the miracle city volcano to meet a puma. Once they were sure no one was around, the puma changed into an old man and the panther changed into a man in his early forties.

"Son." The old man spoke.

"Father." The other man replied.

"A spirit gave El Oso a nasty beating yesterday." The old man said.

"Really? I'm not surprised."

"Neither was I until he told me that it was half human."

"You think it was my son?"

"Rodolfo he's the only half human in existence not to mention it was El Oso one of your enemies."

"Must've been out of defense."

"Or to prove himself."

"You're accusing my son of doing it for my pride? I haven't seen him since he was a baby. He doesn't know me and he thinks I don't give a damn about him or his mother! He hates me!"

"It's you're fault for fooling around with that human. I told you it would only cause trouble."

"Oh father you're basically the cause of all trouble. Floods, fires, crime raids all the work of Jorge the great puma demon, a.k.a my father."

"Yes but I wasn't stupid enough to get involved with a human."

"I fell in love."

"Spirits and demons don't feel love. Love is a distraction and it causes us to do foolish things. Exhibit A, you."

"If you called me here because you want me to apologize for falling in love with a human and fathering a half human child then I shall leave because that is the one thing I shall never regret. My only regret was leaving Maria and Manny to protect them."

"From who? Me? Rodolfo I may not approve of what you did but he's still my grandson. I won't hurt him."

"Perhaps not but I can think of lot of demons who would. If I go anywhere near him they'll pick up his scent."

"I called you here to see if you would let me train him. "

"So you can turn him into a monster like you? From the moment he was born you've tried to corrupt him but because he lived in the church you weren't able to touch him. For that I'm grateful to God everyday of my life."

"That's not the point. Rodolfo as he gets older his powers are going to increase and become dangerous."

"I will find a way to handle that but you are not going anywhere near him. You'll only corrupt him and try to turn him into a demon like you."

"Well are you at least going to remove his human half when he turns eighteen?"

"I...I don't know."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure if he wants to be all spirit."

"You're not considering making him all human are you?"

"I am actually."

"Have you lost your mind!"

"Maria and I agreed that when the time was right we'd let him choose."

"You can't have a human son that's a mockery and I won't stand for it!"

"Father he is my son! I left him with Maria because I knew you would try to control him if he stayed with me! I wanted him to have something you never gave me. A choice. You wanted me to be a demon, you wouldn't allow me to be anything else my entire childhood was dictated by you. I wasn't going to let the same thing happen to Manny. Stay away from him and if you ever hurt him, I'll kill you even if you are my father."

He turned back into a panther and disappeared into the night.

...

"Come on Manny! Get in there!"

"No!"

It was Saturday and Frida was going to take Manny shopping for new clothes but before going she decided he needed a little grooming.

"It's just a bath Manny! You stink! You need to be clean!"

She was trying to push Manny who was wearing nothing but her father's boxer shorts into the tub which was filled with soap.

"No! I hate water!"

"Look if you're gonna live with me there are certain things you will have to do. Staying out of sight, keeping quiet when my family is around, and TAKING A BATH!"

She then kicked him to the tub, put on some rubber gloves, pulled down her goggles, and grabbed a washcloth.

"Now hold still and keep those boxers on til I'm done."

Manny struggled as she scrubbed him.

"Ow! That hurts!"

"If you'd keep still it wouldn't!"

"This is worse than the ones Mom gave me! Stop! Please!"

"Oh quit being such a baby! Now time to rinse."

She turned on the water.

"Ah! It's boiling!" Manny shouted. "Hot! Hot! Hot!"

"Shut up! Or my folks will hear you!"

"Oh God this feels so wrong."

"Hey I'm not enjoying this either and I wouldn't have to do this if you would have just taken a bath when I asked you. Seriously do spirits not bathe?"

"Considering that they're connected to nature and animals sure or maybe they just don't get dirty."

"Well you get dirty and you're half human and you live with me so you'll have to bathe regularly or I'll scrub you myself."

"Fine! I'll bathe."

"Thank you precious." She teased.

"You're welcome cupcake." He said sarcastically. "Give me the wash cloth I can take it from here."

She gave him the washcloth went to pull out some of her father's clothes for him to wear. Later Manny dried off and got dressed.

"You're kidding right?" He said looking down at the over sized police uniform.

"It's all I could find."

"I feel ridiculous and I look ridiculous."

"You'll live. Now when we go downstairs to leave turn invisible okay?"

"Gotcha."

She went downstairs to eat breakfast with her parents and sisters.

"Frida did you see anything strange when you came home yesterday?" Carmela asked.

"No why?"

"Because the dogs were barking at something outside last night and I found the trash can turned over this morning."

"Must be the raccoons again." Emiliano said. "I'll set the traps."

Frida rolled her eyes, she had a good feeling that it wasn't a raccoon.

Knock-knock!

"I'll get it." Anita went to open the door. "Grandmami!"

"Hello Anita." The old woman said hugging her. Nikita and Frida went to hug her as well. "How are you girls? You all look so beautiful. Anita, Nikita, you two must almost be grown women, still trying to be on the force?"

"Yes." Nikita said.

"Wonderful and Frida you look more and more like your mother every time I see you."

"Hello Mother." Carmela said. "How was your flight?"

"Just horrible dear those passengers drove me nuts."

"You're later than we expected you." Emiliano said. "I guess you're still having trouble with time."

"Yeah and you're still fat. You need to lay off the churros."

"Oh Sandra you're so funny." Emiliano said sarcastically.

"Now don't you two start." Carmela said. "I want this to be a nice visit. So please no insults or bickering. Now let's eat, Mother would you like some tea?"

"Of course." Sandra turned to her youngest granddaughter. "Frida who's your friend?"

"Friend? What friend? Who?" She said nervously as she looked to see Manny sitting next to her. "There's no one here. Just me."

"Oh...Oh silly me! My old eyes must be playing tricks on me. I better go look for my glasses."

Frida sighed in relief. After breakfast she left with Manny.

"Okay you really need to stop eating out of the trash. It's a giveaway and it's gross." Frida said.

"Sorry force of a habit."

They went into the department store and looked through the boys section of clothes. After looking around they found a suitable outfit for him, a t-shirt, leather jacket, jeans, belt, and brown shoes.

"This is just like what I used to wear." Manny said admiring himself in the mirror.

Once that was done they decided to get some lunch at a restaurant. Unfortunately Manny's eating habits didn't exactly blend in with the crowd. All eyes were on the boy eating his food like a wild animal.

"What are you looking at?!" He asked the people staring. "Nothing to see here! Go on! Mind your own business!"

They quickly turned away.

"Uh Manny, you can't eat like that? Didn't they teach you table manners in that church?"

"Yes but when I started staying in my spirit form I guess I became more animal."

"Well you need start to acting like a human. Eat with a knife and fork, chew with your mouth close, and please don't snarl and grunt when you eat."

"Yes Mother." He mocked.

"I can throw you out of my house you know."

"Whatever just give me the fork."

When it got late they went to the park and climbed up a tree to talk. It was the one thing they could agree on. Apparently they both loved climbing trees as children.

"So did you ever go to school?" She asked.

"No I was home schooled, church schooled actually. Mom couldn't risk letting me go to public places it might attract attention."

"What was your mother like?"

"That's a touchy subject. But I haven't really mentioned her in awhile." He looked up at the night sky as he thought of her. "She was always afraid something would happen to me. She never let me go outside til I was eight and I wasn't allowed to stay out after dark. Making friends wasn't much of an option considering some people believed I was a devil child."

"Harsh."

"Tell me about it. Being my mother was never easy for her but she said I was worth it."

"What happened to her?"

"She had to leave me."

"What do you mean?"

"I was thirteen when my powers kicked in and that's when El Mal Verde destroyed the church. He picked up my scent and tried to kill me but he ended up ruining my home. The council of the supernatural decided I was too dangerous to be kept around humans so they separated me and my mother and sent me to live in the woods. I never saw her again."

"I'm sorry." She put her hand over his comfortingly. "It must've been really hard for you. Do know where she is?"

"They told me she was somewhere safe. That's it. If they told me exactly where she was they knew I would try to find her."

"How could they do that to you? You were just a kid."

"They don't really understand family."

"That's really sad. Not sure what I would do if I never saw my mother again."

"She's still out there and I know she thinks about me all the time. She's probably terrified that I might get killed or something but I can take care of myself."

"Are you kidding? Before you met me you ate out of the garbage, wore no clothes, and didn't bathe."

"Okay you have a point. Which reminds me why did you let me stay?"

"I don't know. I felt sorry for you but just so we're clear this is temporary right?"

"Yes. Don't worry Princesa-"

"I have a name!"

"And I have a foot, what's your point?"

"I prefer to be called by my name thank you."

"Well don't worry Fer-ree-da I won't be here too long."

"Good."

"Though one thing bothers me. How come when I turn invisible you can still see me."

"I don't know. I guess I'm just lucky."

"Maybe."

However none of them were aware that watching them from a distance was Sandra.

"Oh Frida." She chuckled. "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into."


	3. Chapter 3

"So are you like immortal or something?" Frida asked Manny the next day.

"No. I can be hurt but not as easily as a human."

"Are spirits and demons immortal?"

"Not exactly. Spirits and demons are meant to roam earth for many years until they're ready to move on."

"When will that be?"

"For spirits, once they've done enough good in the world but for demons, it's when you know who decides they've caused enough trouble on earth and throws the book at em."

"Are there angels?"

"Yeah but they prefer to stay up in paradise and work for the big man. Actually in the beginning it was just demons and angels but some demons who were born demonic wanted to be good. So after they renounced Satan, God decided to grant them a second chance and turn them into celestial spirits who do good deeds on earth."

"Was your father like that?"

"Most likely. Spirits and demons can't be killed unless you hit them in their weak spot."

"What's that?"

"It's kind of like an Achilles heel. Every spirit and demon has an indestructible body but there's one small spot where if striked can cause the spirit or demon to die."

"Do you have one?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

"Sorry but spirits and demons never reveal their weak spots and that goes for half spirits too."

"Is it your eye?"

"No. What makes you say that?"

"There's a scar there."

"Oh that. I was born with that. It's kind of like a birthmark, a sign to let the world know I'm Rodolfo's son."

"Cool. Hey wait a minute you said spirits were once demons. Does that mean you could change into a demon or half demon?"

"Yes but only if I use my powers for evil. Spirits have a small seed darkness inside their hearts from their demonic ancestors which will grow if the spirit reverts to their evil ways. If that happens then the darkness will consume their hearts and they turn back into demons."

"What kind of powers do you have?"

"The strength, speed, and senses of a predator. I heal faster than humans but not than spirits. And invisibility. "

"I wish I had powers."

"I hear ya. I wish I wasn't half human."

"And what's so wrong with being half human?"

"Humans are weak and can barely do anything."

"I beg your pardon! I'm all human and I am not weak!"

"Whatever you say Senorita."

"For the last time it's Frida! Not Senorita, not Princesa, Frida."

"Take it easy I'm only joking."

THUMP!

"What on earth was that?" Frida asked.

"I don't know. It came from outside."

"Let's check it out before my parents get back."

They went outside, Manny used his hearing to follow it. It came from the woods. During the walk they saw a lot of fallen trees and broken stones. In the mist of it they saw a boy laying on the ground unconscious, scratched and bruised.

"Manny look!" Frida pointed out.

They went to investigate, he looked their age. His hair was black, his skin was pale, and he was wearing tribal clothing.

"Is he alive?" Frida asked.

Manny listened for a pulse and then sniffed him.

"Yeah and judging by his smell he's human."

"Let's get him inside and fix him up."

They laid him on her couch and got out the first aid kit. After they bandaged up his body he started to stir.

"Wha...where am I?" He asked. "Who are you?! Get back demon!"

"Whoa! Calm down! I am not a demon!" Manny said. "My name is Manny Rivera, my friend and I found you outside."

"Are you a human? Or a spirit?"

"Both actually and I think I should explain that later."

"Are you alright?" Frida asked.

The boy smiled excitedly when he saw her. He looked at her like he had been stranded in a hot desert for years and she was a pool of water that he had stumbled on to. Frankly it was a look that Manny didn't like.

"Yes I think so. Could I get some water?" He asked her.

"Yeah." She went into the kitchen.

"My what a beautiful companion you have there, I wonder if she's betrothed." The young man said.

"Be what?" Manny asked.

"Intended? Promised to?"

"..."

"To be married."

"Oh. I don't think- Hey wait a minute! Why do you ask?" Manny asked suspiciously.

"Here we are." Frida handed him a cup of ice water which he quickly drank.

"Thank you. You are an angel of mercy."

"Oh...well thanks. I'm Frida and who are you?"

"My is Tulio Julian the second but my friends call me T.J. I'm from a tribe of spirit helpers who live in Peru. My father was a shaman there and I trained to become one so I could communicate with the spirits and demons, learn their ways, and predict their next moves."

"How did you get over here?"

"My tribe was destroyed by an evil demon named Sergio. He wanted to steal this." He pulled out an old book with a hard leather cover from his shirt. "This book reveals the location, powers, and weak spots of all demons and spirits, my father was trusted with protecting it. When he refused to give it to him Sergio killed my father and destroyed my village. I managed to escape on a boat which brought me here. I set up camp in the woods where I was nearly killed by this repulsive demon who smelled like the rear end of a goat."

"El Oso." Manny sighed.

"My goodness. That must've been terrible." Frida said.

"It was and after all the horror I've been through I could really use a hug."

Frida hugged him, T.J hugged back but then he slid his hand down pinched her bottom.

"Hey!" Frida cried shoving him off.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Manny growled and almost transformed but Frida punched T.J hard in the arm.

"Ow!" T.J groaned rubbing his arm. "What? My hand slipped."

"Right." She said in disbelief. "That aside do you have any place to stay?"

"You better! Because you're not staying here!" Manny declared.

"Don't worry I have an uncle who lives here. But this place is very new to me and I was wondering if you would mind showing me around tomorrow?"

"Sure." Manny said. "Meet me in town tomorrow morning and bring proper clothes,"

"Here you might need this." Frida said giving him some ointment. "So you don't get an infection."

"Thank you dear lady. Tell me Frida are you a virgin?"

"Uh..." Frida blushed. "Well I...I...Yes...Why do you want to know?"

"Because to become a shaman I must prove I am a worthy man. One way to prove it is by compensating with a good hearted virgin." He slid his arm around her waist. "If you do this I can fulfill my father's dying wish."

"Hands off witch doctor!" Manny said pulling her away from him. "The only thing you want to fulfill is leachery."

"I'm not a witch doctor. I'm a shaman there's a big difference man."

"Whatever but don't even think about laying your perverted hands on Frida again."

"Oh I beg your pardon. I didn't know that she was already promised to you."

"Huh?!" Manny gasped.

"What?!" Frida cried.

"Then again you both look pretty cute so it's no surprise that you two are to be married."

"Married?!" They cried in horror.

"Yes. You are in love with Frida aren't you Manny?"

"Oh no! No! No! No way!" Frida said.

"You are way off! No! No! I would never in a million years ever...I mean...She's just some weird girl who's hiding me." Manny said.

"Weird?! Excuse me! But who ate a sardine can out of the dump two days ago?!"

"Hey I bathe everyday and eat like a regular human like you want! And it takes all my will power not to kill you're deranged hell hounds! I have changed how I live! What do you want from me woman?!"

"You know if she's hiding you, you could be more nice to her." T.J suggested.

"Thank you! Do you have any idea what it's like living with this guy?"

"I could trade places with him if you want."

"Dream on leech." Manny said.

"I don't know he's a lot nicer than you." Frida said.

"You wouldn't kick me out!"

"She might if you're not more kind." T.J said.

"Exactly. You should be more kind to me."

"Like this." T.J squeezed her waist.

"Ahh! Get your hands off me!" Frida screamed.

"I told you not to touch her!" Manny growled.

"Okay, I'll back off. I'm sorry, I disrespected you Frida and I thank you both for your kind hospitality. See you tomorrow Manny."

He then went outside.

"What a creep." Manny said.

"He maybe creepy and perverted but he could be useful."

"How?"

"That book he carries, it might come in handy if another demon attacks."

"So we keep him close?"

"No. You keep him close to you and away from me."

"Deal."

The next morning after Frida went to school, Manny went into the town to meet T.J. He found him on the room of a building. He now wore a red and black t-shirt and black jeans. He was looking through the window.

"What are you doing up there?" Manny called.

"Shhh! Be quiet. I'm doing research."

"What?"

"I want to learn more about where I live so I am studying the people here."

Manny read the sign on the building. Gymnast's lockeroom and bathhouse.

"You creep! You call this studying!" Manny shouted. "Research! Yeah right! Just an excuse for you to peek at girls in the bathhouse!"

The girls inside heard him and saw T.J at the window. They screamed.

"How dare you!" One shrieked.

"Pervert!" Another screamed.

"Filthy beast!"

"Peeping Tom!"

"Take this you disgusting toad!" One of them threw a bar of soap at his head.

"Hey! Ow! Ladies! Where's your compassion?"

"Get him!"

More bars of soap, brushes, and razors were thrown at him. One of them threw a hair dryer which knocked him off the roof.

"Boy you really are a pervert." Manny tisked.

"I am not a pervert! I happen to be a skilled shaman who merely just wanted to study the youth and beauty of Miracle City."

"Yeah like anyone believes that."

"Okay I admit it I'm a perverted womanzier but give me a break. Where I come from girls don't even show their ankles. I need something for my hormones."

"You're really pathetic you know that."

"Oh what so you're not attracted to women?"

"I'm attracted to women I just don't spy on them and grope them like some dirty little creep."

"I don't believe that! You're fifteen and a boy! You have to had done something."

"Buddy I was born in a catholic church and raised by nuns I don't think I could do that stuff even if I wanted to. Also I've sworn off any romantic relationship."

"What are you a priest?"

"No. It's just that spirits and demons don't fall in love. They don't believe in it and consider it a weakness. I've already got one weak spot to worry about and I don't need another one."

"Half human and you have a weak spot? Tough break."

"So how come you and your dad lived like tribal people but your uncle lives here?"

"Both my father and uncle lived in Miracle City but my father took a trip to Peru were he discovered our tribe and learned their ways. Eventually he met my mother, had me, and decided to stay there. What did you say you're name was again?"

"Manny Rivera."

T.J opened his book and flipped through the pages. Hmm...Rivera, Rivera."

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to find out more about you...strange you're not in here. Who was your spiritual parent?"

"Rodolfo."

"Rodolfo? The Rodolfo? Are you pulling on my leg?"

"No. Look it up."

He flipped a few pages back.

"Rodolfo." He read. "Son of the puma demon Jorge. A white panther spirit known to be strong, fearful, and cruel but also just, fair, and good. Defied his evil father to become a spirit who would serve as a guardian to humanity. His weak spot is his left shoulder which is always covered. Fell in love with a human and fathered a half human son."

"Wow. That book is good."

"Man I never thought he was the spirit dumb enough to have a halfling."

"I resent that."

"Sorry. It's just he always seemed so strict and willing to follow the rules. I guess even he couldn't resist a beautiful woman."

"Could please not make it sound like my father was a perv like you. It's bad enough he was so ashamed of me that he left me."

"I don't know if that's the case. It says here he's very merciful and loyal to his family. In fact he once saved his father from getting shot in his weak spot."

"So?"

"So if he was willing to save his father who was a demon which is the natural enemy of spirits next to angels why would he abandoned you just because you're half human?"

"I don't know. My mother said it was for my own good but she explained why. She said I was too young to understand."

"That's what all parents say but I seriously doubt you're old man left because a shame."

"Well the only person who knows that for sure is him and God knows where he is."

Not to far from them stood a white panther watching them with guilty eyes.

"I'm closer than you think Hijo. I hope someday you can forgive me." He thought.


	4. Chapter 4

"Bye Mama, bye Papa, bye Anita, bye Nikita, bye Grandmamni." Frida called as she stepped out of the house. "See you after school."

"Hey Frida where are you going?" Manny asked her.

"School."

"Can I come?"

"No way."

"Why?"

"Because you don't exactly remember how to live in civilization completely yet."

"Come on, I spend pretty much everyday in your bedroom alone. I'm bored."

"Trust me you wouldn't like it. Now go back to my room before somebody sees."

Frida then went to get on the bus, but Manny had a major case of cabin fever so he decided to follow her. He turned invisible, climbed on to the bus, and rode on the roof. When they arrived he began to explore the school grounds. He didn't really see anything that interested him. When he got bored again he went to look for Frida. He found her in the library reading about explosive guitars and churros.

"Hey there angel eyes." He said changing back.

"What are you doing here? Go home." She whispered.

"Lighten up Frida."

"Get out of here! If someone sees you they'll freak."

"Oh yeah a regular looking teenage boy talking to a girl in the library is totally freaky."

"Manny I don't have time for this. If you're bored go find T.J."

"No. All he wants to do is flirt with girls."

"Wouldn't you like that?"

"Maybe but I have vowed never to love or marry."

"Still you can't stay here! I have a free period right now so I'm taking you home."

Before Manny could object, Frida grabbed his wrist and pulled him along outside.

"Hey! Loosen up on your grip will ya?" Suddenly he froze and smelled the air. "What's that?"

"What is it?" Frida asked.

"Something smells off...Smells like sweat and the rear end of an animal. Oh no."

"What?"

"Where is he man! Where's that snot nosed brat!" El Oso was rampaging through town throwing cars and mashing buildings.

"Great! He found me! Looks like he needs another beating." He cracked his knuckles and changed into his spirit form.

"Manny!" T.J called running toward him with a spear. "Let me help you."

"What?"

"I'm an excellent fighter! I was one of the undefeated warriors in my tribe not to mention with my father's book I know all his strengths and weaknesses."

"Okay shaman you're with me."

"What about me? What do I do?" Frida asked.

"You get somewhere safe and stay out of harm's way." Manny ordered.

"I'm not just gonna stand here on the sidelines. I want to help."

"Frida you'll only be in the way! Now don't get into trouble."

Manny and T.J took off after El Oso.

"Hey ugly! Looking for me?" Manny called.

He jumped up on to the bear demon and began claw at him. El Oso roared and threw him against a wall. T.J struck him in the leg with his spear.

"I thought I killed you the other day!" El Oso said grabbing T.J.

"Unhand me you miserable pig!" T.J demanded.

"How about I break your bones man!"

"Put him down!"

Manny ran at him full speed ahead and tackled him into an old abandoned building. T.J followed in after them.

"I can't just stand here and do nothing." Frida said. "But what can I do? It's not like a weapon is just gonna fall out the sky?"

Then out of no where a bow and arrow fell right at her feet. She looked around for someone but no one appeared to be there.

"That was weird. But I can worry about that later."

She grabbed the weapon and ran into the building. She found T.J frantically looking through his book. While El Oso had Manny in a choke hold.

"Manny!" She cried fearfully. "T.J what are you doing?!"

"Trying to find El Oso's weak spot! What are you doing? Manny told you to stay away!"

"I never listen to him! You keep searching I'm gonna help Manny."

"Frida I can't allow you to endanger yourself!"

"I didn't ask your permission!"

Manny coughed and struggled to breathe as El Oso choked him.

"Your old man's been kicking my ass for years man! I may not be able to kill him! But at least I can make him suffer by killing you."

"Don't waste your time." Manny choked. "He doesn't give a damn about me."

El Oso raised his claws for the killing blow but hissed in pain when he felt an arrow pierce his leg. He dropped Manny who began breathing heavily and faced the direction of the arrow in anger.

"Who did that?!" El Oso snarled.

"Me you gross bucket of slob!" Frida cried bravely. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size! You coward!"

"Uh Frida let's not make the big scary bear demon angry." T.J said nervously.

"You've got some nerve! Picking on those weaker than you are! Why don't you beat up a demon who's a lot bigger than you!" She cried.

"Who you calling a coward man?!" El Oso said. "Before I finish off the half spirit I think I'll beat you to a pulp first!"

"You leave her alone!" Manny scratched El Oso's arm. "It's me you want remember?"

"I have had enough of you man!"

The three teenagers watched in horror as El Oso changed into a horrible monstrous bear and lunged for Manny.

"T.J, hurry up with that weak spot!" Manny cried.

"I got it! It's in his right elbow!"

"I'm on it!" Frida said.

The bear pinned Manny to the floor and using one of his claws began to cut down Manny's chest. The boy fought to stop him but he was too strong.

"I've got just one shot!" Frida fired her arrow though she missed his elbow and it managed to hit his arm. "Crap!"

"Nice try man!"

The bear laughed but while he was distracted Manny plunged his claws into El Oso's right elbow. He gasped and fell to the floor.

"Are you okay?" Frida asked helping Manny up.

"Fine but what the hell are you doing here?"

"Saving your ungrateful life!"

"I had it handled!"

"Not from where I was standing."

"Alright you two knock it off." T.J said. "Let's get out of here."

Suddenly the building began to shake and rubble began to fall.

"What's happening?" Frida asked.

They turned to see El Oso barely alive pulling off the building pillars.

"He's gonna tear this whole place apart." Manny realized. "Everybody down! Hurry!"

T.J ducked under a table.

"Brace yourselves!" Manny warned.

Large bits of ceiling began to fall. Manny quickly grabbed Frida and shielded her from the rumble by keeping his arms around her head and body. Part of the building collapsed on top of them and El Oso. Luckily the building stopped collapsing before it could get any worse. When it was over T.J quickly began to pull the rubble off of them until he found Manny lying on top of Frida who was unconscious.

"Is she alright?" He asked.

Manny felt her face and listened for a pulse.

"She's fine just stunned and a little bruised. I took most of it."

"What about you? Something like that could kill a person."

"Yeah but me being half spirit makes it feel like I just fell off a bike on the road."

Manny lifted Frida into his arms.

"We better get out of here before the cops get suspicious." He ran out the building with T.J following.

When Frida's relatives saw her bruises she told them she fell down the stairs at school so they wouldn't suspect anything. Later she got her first aid kit out and tended to Manny's wounds.

"Oww!" He hissed as she cleaned one of his cuts.

"Sorry this might sting."

"Might?!"

"Okay it will, just keep still okay."

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Owww!"

"Oh shut up and be a man! Geez why are all men such babies?"

She bandaged up his arm and then his ankle. When she went to clean the cut on his chest he grabbed her wrist defensively.

"Can you let go? You're hurting me."

"Sorry." He said releasing her. "Habit. That's a very sensitive area."

"Is this it?" She asked. "Your weak spot? Is it your chest?"

"No. It's my heart. If El Oso's claw had gotten any closer I'd be dead."

"That's why he went for it."

"You can't tell anyone okay? Swear you won't!"

"I won't. I swear I won't tell a soul." She gently put her hand over the bleeding cut. "Thank you for protecting me when the building collapsed. But why did you do it? You got badly hurt from that."

"And you would've been killed if I hadn't. Besides I've had way worse. That was like a scratch."

"Well your body says otherwise. Huh that's weird."

"What?"

"Look." She took her hand off his chest. The cut was gone, completely healed there wasn't even a scar. It was as if his chest had never been injured.

"Well I heal faster than the average human."

"What about your other injuries?"

"Must be the ones that are caused by demons. Speaking of which, are you crazy? Why would you go after El Oso?"

"I said I wanted to help."

Manny huffed in frustration while rolling his eyes.

"Frida you are one of kind." He told her.

"You're not the first to say that."

"Where did you even get the bow and arrow?"

"I don't know it just came from the sky."

"Came from the sky?"

"I know it sounds crazy but it did."

"Did someone give it to you?"

"Maybe but I don't know who."

"Let me see that weapon."

He handed her the bow and arrows. He examined them with his eyes and smelled them.

"This bow and these arrows were carved from wood of a holy tree. Allowing them to be one of the very few weapons that can injure a spirit or demon. Good choice for today though your aim was a little off. You sure you didn't see anyone?"

"No one."

"That's very...Ahh..."

"We'll talk about it another time right now you need your rest."

Frida made a bed of blankets for him to lay on. Manny was so exhausted from today that he fell asleep the minute his head was on the cushion.

"I hope you're okay Manny."

"Frida?" Sandra called. "May I come in?"

"Sure Grandmami. What is it?"

"Where did you get those bruises?"

"I already told you. I fell down the stairs at school."

"Oh Frida, you may have your mother and your bullheaded father fooled but I know you. You can't pull the wool over my eyes."

"Grandmammi-"

"It's okay if you don't wanna tell me. Just be more careful dear."

"I will."

"And try to work on your aim."

"What?! What do you mean by that?"

"Who knows? I'm just an old woman. Maybe I'm just babbling out of my head." She giggled. Sandra planted a kiss on her granddaughter's forehead. "Buenos noches mi pequeno nieta."

"Goodnight Grandmammi."

Sandra left her room and went to the guest room. Frida turned off the lights and went into the bathroom to change into her pajamas then she went to bed. A couple hours later she woke up to the sound of someone whimpering. She saw Manny shaking and panting in his sleep.

"Don't..." Mumbled in his sleep.

"Manny?"

"Don't...Don't hurt her...Mama."

"Manny." She said gently shaking him. "Manny wake up."

"Mama...Mama." Sweat dripped down his face. He was having a nightmare. "Please don't hurt my Mama."

"Manny! Manny wake up! It's just a dream! Wake up!"

"Mama?" Manny asked waking up.

"No it's Frida. Are you okay?"

"Wha...What happened?"

"You were having a bad dream. Are you alright? What did you see?"

"It's...It's nothing. Forget it."

"It was about your mother wasn't it?"

"How did you know?"

"You were talking in your sleep. You kept saying Mama, don't hurt my mama."

Manny sighed in embarrassment.

"What did you see?" He didn't answer. "Can you tell me? You don't have to if you don't want to."

"I...I...I saw my mother getting beaten without mercy by El Oso. I tried to help her but I couldn't move."

"It's okay. El Oso is dead and your mother is somewhere safe. I'm sure of it."

"I hope so."

After that they went back to sleep without anymore disturbances for the rest of the night.


	5. Chapter 5

The reason why Frida's grandmother came by was to watch Frida while her family went to the police and court business trip. Her sisters would be joining them for credit to get into law school. They would be back in a few weeks. It was good thing because Frida and Manny decided to go gather stuff in the forest for T.J to make spells they could use. She tried to sneak out of the house but her grandmother was expecting her.

"And just where do you think you're going nieta?" She asked.

"Oh? Me?" She squeaked. "I'm going to...to...my friend's house...To practice for our band."

"Will you be staying the night?"

"Maybe."

"Well call me if you do and stay out of trouble."

"I'll try."

...

"What are we looking for again?" Manny asked.

"Aura root." T.J said. "It's a crucial ingredient needed for most of my spells."

"And why do we need this?"

"Manny we've talked about this." Frida said. "Living with you poses a threat to my parents, my sisters, my grandmother, and us. We need to protect ourselves."

"According to my father's book the aura root grows one the dark side of the forest. Well that's just peachy."

"What's the problem?" Manny asked.

"Manny how long did you live in the woods?"

"Two years."

"Did you ever go to the dark side?"

"I didn't know there was a dark side. What's the big deal? So it's dark."

"Yeah and infested with demons, monsters, bandits, and people corrupted by demonic power."

"So you're chicken?"

"I wouldn't be so cocky if I were you. People who go into the dark side of the forest never come back unchanged, some don't even come back at all."

"Well they were probably regular humans. Now are we going to get that root or what?"

"Are you sure we should do this Frida?" T.J asked.

"I'm sorry T.J but with Manny being a prime target for a lot of demons we can't take any risks." She said.

"In case you haven't noticed we're walking straight into the domain of all demons."

"Relax pervo-"

"Stop calling me a pervo!"

"We'll be in and out before you know it."

They continued on until they reached the barrier between the dark and light side of the forest. Manny transformed, Frida had her bow and arrow ready, then they entered. It certainly was dark and spooky with weirdly shaped trees that were twisted and crooked. Owls hooted and bats screeched but they didn't lose their courage...well at least Manny and Frida didn't.

"Uh guys I think I left the sink on. I'm gonna go home." T.J said walking away.

"Hold it you cowardly leech." Manny said grabbing him by the shirt. "We need you to indentify what this root looks like so you're not going anywhere."

"T.J?" Frida asked.

"Yes?"

"Do you know where we are?"

"Um...Let me check the book." He began flipping through the pages.

"I don't like this place." Frida admitted. "It's dark and creepy."

"Good news I don't smell anything bad around." Manny reassured.

"Okay it says here we're near the nest of he furies." T.J read.

"The what?" Manny asked.

"Demonic birds who serve a she demon that lives around here. They are extremely loyal to their mistress and feed off of flesh."

"I don't like the sound of that." Frida said.

"Let's just get out of here before they realize we're near." Manny said.

"Um...Manny I think we're a little too late for that." T.J pointed toward a tree with branches that held hundreds of black birds with red eyes. Some were big and some were small, they all glared at them. "Don't make any sudden movements. These birds can tear the skin off of anything and they are very protective of their nest."

"What do we do?" Frida whispered.

"Just back away nice and slow."

They did exactly that until Manny stepped on a stick. It sent the birds into a screeching frenzy as the flock swooped down on them. Manny began clawing at them while Frida fired her arrows but once one was dead another would just fly back in revenge.

"There's too many of them!" Frida cried.

"T.J do they have a weakness?" Manny asked.

"I...I don't know." T.J pulled out a tiny glass disc, threw it up, and it turned into a shield which they hid under. "That won't hold them for long. Eventually they'll break through."

"Got any ideas Frida?" Manny asked.

"You're the cat, don't you eat these for breakfast?" She said.

The birds began pecking on the shield as hard as they could and just when one of them managed to make a crack, the sound of another screech was heard. The birds turned in the direction of where it was coming from. A cloaked figure with a spear stood across from them. The flock flew toward the figure but it stabbed each one that came close with it's spear then threw smoke bombs in their eyes. What finally drove them away was when the figure lit a torch and waved it toward them. Once they were gone Manny, T.J, and Frida took down the shield and went to thank their savior.

"That was amazing. Thanks." Manny said holding out his hand only to have the figure swat it away.

"If you want to thank me." A high feminine voice called from it. "You'll go back to wherever you came from."

"Wait! Are you a girl?"

The figure removed the cloak to reveal a teenage girl with brown hair, tan skin, and hazel eyes. She wore a purple shirt and jeans so she must've lived modernly but she didn't fight like it.

"I got this." T.J said putting on his best smile. "Dear lady we only wish to thank you." He walked toward her. "Especially since our savior is so lovely."

He gave her bottom a little squeeze.

"Filthy dog!" The girl punched him right across his face and kicked him under his feet knocking him down and pinned him with her spear at his chin.

"Ow! Why you-"

"Silence worm! Before I tear you limb from limb and leave your body for the vultures!"

T.J gulped.

"Whoa take it easy lady." Manny said. "Beat him up if you must but don't kill him."

"Hey!"

"Who are you?" Frida asked.

"I am a warrior. Now who are all of you? And why are you here?"

"My name is Frida and this is Manny."

"And the leacherous shaman who's head you're about to have on a stick is T.J." Manny said.

"You're a shaman?" She asked looking at T.J in disbelief. "I always thought shaman were old and wise."

"And I always thought warriors were men." He replied.

She stepped on his gutt.

"Ow!"

"What are you doing here?"

"We're trying to find the aura root." Manny said. "Do you know where it is?"

"Yes but it is a fool's journey to go after that. Turn back at once."

"Look here sister we appreciate the rescue but don't get in my way or I'll-"

But she just grabbed his arm and flipped him over to the ground.

"Watch your tongue fool! Don't make me regret saving your miserable hide."

"Please we need that root." Frida said. "Without who knows how many demons will attack us because Rodolfo is-"

"Rodolfo? Did you say Rodolfo?"

"Yes. You know him?"

"Rodolfo saved my father's life a year ago. Are you all allies of his?"

"Not exactly. None of us have ever met him."

"Then how do you know of him?"

"He's my father." Manny said getting up. "And he has a lot of enemies who wanna kill me and my friends which is why we need that root."

She thought for a moment.

"Come with me."

She led them to a makeshift shelter up in a tree. She climbed up as did T.J since they had been trained to. Manny being half tiger had no trouble climbing but he had to carry Frida on his back.

"My name is Andrea Monterio. I used to live with my family in Brazil but a demon from this place took my brother Carlos. My father was once a warrior who fought against demons and tried to save him but he's crippled. So I had him train me and teach me how to fight against demons, monsters, and their pets."

"That explains why those birds were afraid of you." T.J said.

"Before coming here I consulted an oracle who told me that the son of Rodolfo would help me save my brother. Is that you?" She asked Manny.

"I guess unless my father had other children."

"The oracle said he had only one child and it was half human."

"Yep that's me. But I don't know you or your brother."

"No but you are powerful, yes?"

"Si."

"As powerful you may be you all know nothing of this forest. I have lived here for a year and have learned every inch of every area. If I guide you to this root will you help me save my brother?"

The three of them looked at each other.

"Sure." Manny answered.

"Thank you. It's late, we'll continue on tomorrow."

"I better call my grandmother." Frida said dialing her phone.

"So Andrea." T.J said. "Are you promised?"

"Promised?"

"Engaged?"

"No and I don't plan to be anytime soon. Right now I find boys annoying."

"Oh...Well Andrea looks like we're stuck with you so we might as well get." He put his arm around her. "Comfortable."

SLAP!

"Ow!"

"Keep your slimy self away from me or I'll cut off both of your arms!" She threatened.

"Don't you threaten me woman! I'm a shaman! I can curse you!"

"And I can cut your throat so fast you won't even have time to scream!"

"Geez was this crazy chica raised by the Aztecs?" Manny whispered to Frida.

"I like her, she's not afraid to speak her mind." Frida whispered back.

Andrea pulled out some cots for them to lay on.

"I hope you all sleep well." She said. "And just so you know I'm a light sleeper so if you touch me you'll find my spear in your throat." Andrea said to T.J. "Goodnight."

They all quickly fell a sleep quickly. Watching them was one of the birds, a crow who after observing them, flew to a large palace that resembled a nest. He flew up a stairway and into a room where a girl sat in a chair. She was goth, her hair was black and her eyes were purple. The crow perched himself on top of the fingers of her left hand.

"My pet." She said stroking him with her black talon like nails. "Someone in the forest attacked my poor babies. Did you see who?"

The crow squawked and nodded. She brought him to her ear and he whispered to her what he saw.

"WHO IS HERE?!" She screeched. "HOW DARE HE SHOW HIS FACE HERE AFTER WHAT HE DID TO ME!"

She seethed with rage but then calmed down.

"My he must have some nerve either that or he's forgotten this is where I reside." She said. "Was there anyone else with him?"

The crow whispered in her ear.

"A womanizing shaman, that man hating warrior Andrea, and a girl! What kind of girl? Was she young? Did she appear beautiful?"

The crow nodded.

"Hmm...My pet I want you to keep a close eye on him. Find out why he's here and what relationship he has with this girl." She approached the window of her home. "Now fly my precious and try not to be seen."

The crow flew away as she had ordered.


	6. Chapter 6

"Where am I?" Frida found herself alone in an endless void. "Manny! Andrea! T.J!"

She saw a glowing light moving in the mist of the darkness. She walked to it and tried to make out what it was, it was a woman. She looked to be in her late thirties with long dark brown hair and tan skin. She was very beautiful. She seemed to have some heavenly light radiating off of her.

"Hey!" She called. "Wait!"

She stopped and looked at Frida, her eyes were brown and had a glint of joy.

"Who are you?" Frida asked.

The woman smiled and walked toward her. She gently placed her hands on Frida's shoulders and planted a kiss on Frida's forehead.

"When he sees this kiss he'll know you're good." She said. "He won't hurt you."

"Who?"

But she didn't answer she just walked away from her and toward the mist of darkness but not before looking back to give her some advice.

"Sometimes a gentle touch can do more than a strong claw."

Frida woke up to find herself back in Andrea's tree home sleeping on a cot.

"Good you're awake." Andrea said.

Her friends were eating pomegranates for breakfast. Andrea tossed her one, once they had eaten they continued on through the forest. During the whole walk Frida couldn't help but think about her dream. Who was that woman? What exactly was that kiss supposed to protect her from? And what did she mean by a gentle touch doing more than a strong claw?

"Hey angel eyes you dead or something?" Manny asked. "You've been awfully quiet."

"Yeah I'm just thinking."

"About what?"

"A dream I had last night."

"What was it about?"

"A woman who told me something important."

"What?"

"Shh!" Andrea hushed.

"What is it?" T.J said.

"We're near where the aura root grows."

"Okay then let's get it."

"Wait a minute. It's protected by the silver stallion."

"The what?"

"The sliver stallion. A holy horse with a wild spirit, he was once a peaceful creature til humans tried to capture him for money or prize. Then a demon caught him and forced him to guard the root, he kept him chained up and abused him. Now he attacks anyone who comes near."

Andrea led them to a patch of land with root growing in. It was surrounded by a fence and a sliver horse was chained up inside.

"He's beautiful." Frida said.

"Oh he's beautiful alright and cold hearted. He'd kill you in a heartbeat." Andrea said.

"I'm sure we can handle a horse." Manny said.

"How hard can it be? He is chained up." T.J said.

But as soon as they set foot in the area the horse angrily charged after the two boys and began to kick them and try to stomp on them.

"Ow! Hey! Stop it!" Manny said.

"Let go of my shirt!" T.J said as the horse began pulling on it with his mouth.

"I warned you." Andrea said.

Manny transformed in his spirit form and tried to wrestle him, now had Manny been a full fledged demon or spirit he might have succeeded but the horse threw him off.

"This is so embarrassing." Manny groaned.

"Frida! Try and shoot him!" T.J suggested.

Frida pulled out her bow and arrow and made her aim but before she fired the words of the woman from her dream last night rang through her head.

_"Sometimes a gentle touch can do more than a strong claw."_

Was she talking about the horse? She put her weapon down and slowly walked toward the angry animal.

"Easy boy." She said softly. "Calm down."

"Frida what the hell are you doing?!" Manny shouted.

The horse got off him and T.J then charged straight toward her, she froze but the animal stopped when a small light glowed on her forehead. He looked at her skeptically.

"Easy boy. It's okay, just calm down." She raised her hand up. "I'm not going to hurt you." He sniffed her and then nuzzled her palm, she smiled and stroked him. "That's it. Good boy."

"Um are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Mannny asked his friends.

"I think Attila the hun horse just became Frida's new pet." T.J answered.

"Oh you poor thing. Did those mean boys scare you?" Frida asked. The horse nodded. "They did? Oh well they're just a bunch of stupid bullies."

"Excuse me?!" Manny said.

"We're the bullies?!" T.J said. "He just tried to kill us!"

"Only because he thought you guys were going to hurt him." She looked at the chain holding him. "Andrea give me your spear."

Andrea handed it to her and she used it to break the chain holding him. The minute he was free he took off running.

"Well that's one problem solved." Andrea said. "Let's get the root."

Just as they were about to gather some they heard a loud boom and turned to see a group of people led by one of the largest and scariest looking bulls in the world coming toward them. He stopped and looked into the fence then changed into a man.

"Who freed my horse?!" He demanded. "Who?!"

"Who the hell are you?!" Manny asked.

"Senor Sinestro! And this is my posse! How dare you free my greatest prize!" He shouted.

"Well how dare you abuse and imprison that poor creature!" Frida retorted. "If anyone should be chained up it should be you!"

He glared at the girl.

"Silence wench! Because of you all I have lost my-" Then he noticed the book in T.J's hand. "The book! That's mine! Give it to me!"

"Not on your life!" T.J shouted.

He angrily pulled a tree out of the ground and flung it toward him. T.J ducked and it missed, he turned back into a bull and darted after him.

"Run! T.J! Run!" Andrea called.

He did as she said and ran like his life was on the line which it was.

"T.J! Throw it to me!" Andrea called.

"Go long!" He threw the book toward her, she caught it and ran. He then went after her, luckily Andrea was way faster than he was but she couldn't run forever.

"Hey! I'm open!" Manny called.

Andrea threw the book, Manny caught it and ran into the fence. The demonic bull foolowed him and had his men close the gate.

"So you wanna a bull fight do you?" He gave the book to Frida "Hold this for me please Princesa, I'm an expert at this."

"Don't call me Princesa!" Frida cried in annoyance.

He then removed his red bandanna which he waved around. "Torro! Torro!"

Sinestro puffed and charged for him with his nostrils flaring. Manny jumped out of the way.

"Ole!"

The posse cheered and clapped. The bull tried again but again he missed. "Ole!" He tried another time but ended up running smack into a tree and getting his horns stuck. "Ole!"

"I'll kill you!"

5 seconds later...

Manny had him hogtied and stood on top of him in a victory pose. The posse applauded again and the women threw roses at his feet while screaming excitedly. Manny bowed respectfully.

"Thank you, thank you, gracias." He blew kisses to the crowd. The girls shrieked and fainted. He picked up one of the roses on the ground and threw it to Frida.

"Oh brother." She sighed.

The bull changed back into Senor Sinestro. He lunged for Frida. "Give me that book!"

"Frida!" Manny cried.

Sergio was this close to crushing her when he was roughly kicked by the silver horse sending him flying into the fence.

"Good boy!" Frida said hugging his neck.

"You varmits!" He got out of the fence and his posse loaded him up onto a metal horse. Then they rode off into the trees with him shouting back. "This isn't over! I'll be back! And I'll get that book or my name's not Sergio the bull demon!"

T.J collapsed at these words. That was Sergio, the man who killed his father and destroyed his home. The man he had promised his father he would protect the book from at all costs. The man he hated with every fiber of his body.

"T.J are you okay?" Manny asked.

"Let me at him!" He shouted running in their direction.

"Hey! Wait!" Manny grabbed him and held him tight.

"Let me go! I'll kill him! I'll kill him!"

"Calm down."

"No! Damn you Sergio! Damn you to hell!"

"Who?" Andrea asked.

"Sergio! The bastard who killed my father and my people!" T.J said. "As God as my witness I swear that I will avenge my father and kill him!"

"Whoa! Relax." Manny said. "Look why don't you calm down and we'll get the aura root."

T.J sat down and took a deep breath while the others gathered the root, he meditated until he was calm. Once they had enough the horse agreed to take them back home. It didn't take as long as before because they weren't walking.

"You know I think you should have a name." Frida said. "How about Felipe?"

The horse nodded.

"Frida you're not seriously thinking of keeping him are you?" Manny asked.

"Don't be silly, Felipe is a wild horse. He's not meant to be kept, he's meant to be free." Once they reached the end of the woods they got off if him. "Goodbye Felipe, thanks for everything."

Felipe nuzzled Frida and went off into the woods.

"So Andrea where will you be staying?" Frida asked.

"I don't know."

"You can stay with me." T.J suggested.

"I'd rather sleep in the woods."

"Look you'll have a private room that you can lock and I'll give you the key. I promise."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

...

"Uncle Luiz?" T.J called as he and Andrea entered his house. "Are you here? You should know that my uncle is a little...off."

"What do you mean?"

"Well-"

Suddenly he was grabbed by a buff man who body slammed him on the floor and pinned him.

"State your name and business!"

"Uncle Luiz it's me!"

"State your name fool!"

"Tulio Julian the second!" He shouted.

"What's your business?!"

"You can't be serious!"

"State your business before I break you in half!" He locked him in choke hold.

"I'm your nephew! I live here!" He choked.

"Oh hi T. J." He got off of him.

"Andrea this is my uncle. Luiz Vincenzo Pepe Harris, one of Miracle City's best pro wrestler and a war veteran." He said.

"Nice to meet you." The buff man said shaking her hand. "Now if you'll excuse me I need to work out."

He walked into his gym room and closed the door.

"Uncle Luiz wait!" T.J said opening the door.

"You can't see me!" Luiz said.

"Yes I can Uncle Luiz, this isn't the war and you're not in camouflage."

"Alright what do you want?"

"The key to the guest room."

"Here." He gave it to him. "Now don't disturb me!"

He slammed the door.

"Is he okay?" Andrea asked.

"While he was on the battlefield a bomb went off next to his head. He lived but once and awhile he'll have these insanity moments best to steer clear of him when that happens."


	7. Chapter 7

"Frida!" Sandra called. Manny turned himself invisible when she entered the room but she could still see him. "I'm going to the market and later to get my hair done, please take out the garbage while I'm gone."

"Okay."

She went to get the trash bag, Sandra looked at Manny dead in the eyes and smiled then she left without a word.

"Did you see the way she looked at me?" Manny asked. "Looked at me right in the eyes, but she can't see me. Can she?"

"I doubt it she would've said something wouldn't she?"

"I guess you're right."

Frida picked up a trash bag and handed the second to Manny. "Here. You're taking it out with me."

"No way! I don't do chores."

"Oh yes you do because if you don't then you can go sleep outside with my dogs."

They lugged the trash bags outside toward the dumpster.

"Ugh! It's so heavy! How much garbage is in this bag?!" Manny complained.

When they got to the dump outside he threw both bags inside of it. They started to head back when Frida heard something.

"Do you hear that?"

"What?"

"It sounds like crying."

It was coming from behind the dumpster. She went behind it to find a little baby boy lying on the ground on top of a yellow blanket wearing blue footie pajamas.

"Oh my God!"

"Frida what is it?" Manny asked.

"Look!" She quickly picked up the baby and wrapped him in the blanket. He looked pale and he felt cold. "You poor baby! You must be freezing!"

"What's he doing back here?" Manny asked.

"I don't know but let's get him inside." Frida said.

Manny called 911 while Frida tried to keep the infant warm.

"Yeah we found him outside behind the dumpster." Manny said. "Yes he's alive but he's very cold...Uh huh...okay...Thank you." He hung up. "They should be here in a few minutes."

"Shh. It's okay, it's okay." Frida cooed softly to the crying baby. She held him on her chest and patted him gently while humming a lullaby. His cries grew softer and he began sucking on his fingers.

"Hmm...You think he's hungry?" Manny asked.

"What do we feed him?"

"If memory serves me correct babies drink milk."

"We're all out, my grandma just left to get some from the market."

"Well there are other ways to get milk." He said gesturing toward her breasts. That earned him a thump on the noggin. "Ow!"

"Nice try you pig!"

"I don't want to see them! It's just a fact!"

"Well newsflash genius I have to be lactating for that to work."

The police and ambulance soon arrived to take the baby to the hospital. Manny and Frida came with them to answer questions. All they could tell him is that they found him and that they didn't see anyone. The hospital went into birth records to see if they could contact his parents.

"Miguel?" A couple walked into the hospital and approached the front desk. "My name is Isla and this is my husband Julio, is our son here?"

A nurse walked in and handed the baby to the couple.

"Oh Miguel! Oh my baby!" The mother cradled her baby close while sobbing tears of relief.

"Thank God! We thought we lost you!" The father said hugging his wife and child. "Is he okay?"

"He's fine." The doctor said. "His body temperature was very low due to being left outside but we managed to heat him up. He's very lucky, if those two hadn't found him and kept him warm it might've been too late."

The mother stared at Manny and Frida.

"Thank you. Thank you so much for saving Miguel."

"You're welcome but if you don't mind me asking, why did you leave him out there?" Frida asked.

"We didn't." She said. "Someone took him! Just like Rosie."

"Rosie?"

"What she means is." The father explained. "Where we live, several children have almost been abducted, someone's been trying to take them then one night one of our neighbor's kids Rosie vanished."

Hearing this the police went to question Rosie's parents. Manny turned himself and Frida invisible and followed them. They listened to the conversation between the couple and the police.

"What exactly happened Mr. and Mrs. Gonzales?" The policeman asked.

"My husband was working late and I had just put Rosie to bed." Mrs. Gonzales said. "I was in my room reading when I heard her scream. I ran upstairs to get her but the door was locked, when I finally got it open she was gone."

"Did you see anything? Anyone?"

"No. All I saw was a vulture flying away." She began to cry.

"A vulture? Are you sure?"

"Yes! And I'm positive it took her! I know it's crazy but it's true." She sobbed. "Why would someone take Rosie?"

"I seriously doubt that's true." Manny whispered.

"Maybe not." Frida replied.

"What do you mean?"

"Look what I found."

She held up a black and green feather. They went to T.J's house to see if he knew anything about this.

"A vulture that steals children?" He said. "Sounds more like a demon to me."

"Do you know who it is or why it would steal children?" Manny said.

"Let me check the book." He flipped through the pages and read some paragraphs. "It doesn't say who did it but it says here that when a demon abducts children it's usually because they plan to make them slaves or feed on their youth to restore their own."

"Do you think you can locate it?" Andrea asked.

"Sure. But I'm gonna need something of it."

"Here." She handed him the feather.

He lit a fire in the fireplace, threw some dust in, and dropped the feather into the fire. A mist was formed, T.J fanned it and inhaled it. He did some thinking then spoke.

"This demon is located in the basement of an apartment west from here."

The four of them went to the apartment and down into the basement. It was dark, with pipes dripping or blowing out steam. Manny used his cat night vision to see if he could find anything, he sniffed and listened carefully for any signs that a child or demon was nearby.

"You see anything?" Frida asked.

"Nothing yet." Manny said.

They continued to search for something or someone. After awhile they decided to split up and cover more ground.

"Hey Frida take a look at this."

Andrea led her to a table with a book, spell book. Two pages were marked, one had a youth spell written on it. It read to achieve youth and the other had a spell for full fledged demonic or spiritual power on it. It said that it can be achieved only by consuming the heart of a heavenly healer.

"Let me go!" They heard a high voice scream.

The two girls hid and watched as woman entered the room dragging a little girl by her arm. She looked about to be five years old.

"That must be Rosie." Andrea said.

The woman was tall, slender, had short black hair and was dressed in green and black. She threw the little girl down and began brew something in a pot. The woman then sized Rosie by her hair and forced her over to the pot.

"Drink it!" She ordered.

"No!" Rosie protested.

"Drink it you little brat!"

"No let me go! I want my Mommy!"

"Drink it or I'll drown you in it!"

Andrea and Frida quickly ran out from their hiding place tackled the woman. Rosie became scared and ran upstairs.

"How dare you two interfere!"

Her finger nails were like the talons of a hawk or vulture, reached up to scratch Frida's face but missed and ended up cutting a lock of her hair. She tried again only to have Andrea stabbed her hand with her spear. As the two women fought they accidentally knocked over the pot starting the fire, some bottle liquids were spilled over the flames making it grow bigger. Smoke and flames filled the area and began to rise up stairs.

"We gotta get out of here!" Frida said.

"Rosie went upstairs!" Andrea pointed out.

"We better find her!"

Frida and Andrea went upstairs to look for Rosie. Suddenly the two girls were divided by a wall of fire. Down in the basement, Manny smelled smoke.

"There's a fire!" Manny gasped. "And the girls are in it!"

Manny followed the smell with T.J close behind. They found Andrea on the stairs with fire closing in on her.

"Andrea!" T.J helped her up. "Andrea?! Andrea!"

Andrea opened her eyes.

"Frida...Upstairs." She croaked.

She passed out after that.

"You get her out of here! I'm going to find Frida!"

Manny raced upstairs following her scent. On the top floor Frida was searching for Rosie while trying not to inhale too much smoke or burn herself.

"Rosie! Rosie!" She called. "Rosie! Rosie where are you?"

"Mommy!" She heard a voice weep. "I want my Mommy!"

She saw Rosie sitting on the ground crying with fire moving closer toward her.

"Rosie! Can you hear me?"

"No! Go away! Leave me alone! Don't hurt me you mean lady!"

"She thinks I'm that demon." Frida thought. "She's so scared."

"I want my mommy and my papi!"

"Everything is going to be okay Rosie."

"Mommy is that you?"

"Yes Rosie! I'm here!" Frida felt bad lying but she figured she wouldn't come to her if she didn't.

"I can't see you Mommy! Where are you?"

"Follow my voice! I'm right here waiting for you! Run to Mommy baby!"

Rosie nervously stood up and ran toward Frida and into her arms.

"Mommy, I knew you'd find me."

She had inhaled too much smoke and passed out. Frida held her close and shielded her from the fire. She looked for a way out but couldn't see one. Manny broke the door down and searched for his friend. He couldn't see her due to the flames and he couldn't smell her scent because of the smoke so he had to rely on his hearing.

"Frida! Where are you?" He called. When she didn't respond he really got scared because following her voice was the only way he could find her. "Frida! Answer me! Please!"

"Manny!"

"Where are you?"

"I'm over here!"

He stepped back, jumped over the fire, and landed next to Frida. He quickly scooped her up, jumped out the window of the apartment, and landed on his feet. Outside an ambulance was waiting. Frida handed Rosie to the paramedics and they were all taken to the hospital.

"How are you feeling Andrea?" Frida asked when she woke up.

"What happened?" She asked.

"You inhaled too much smoke and blacked out." T.J said. "The paramedics managed to pump oxygen back into your system."

"Where's Rosie?"

"She's fine." Frida said. "But what about you?"

"I'm kind of thirsty."

"I'll go buy you a bottled water."

Frida went down to the cafeteria to buy some water. During her walk there she saw Rosie awake in her room being hugged by her parents. She smiled and continued on to the cafeteria. On her way back she found Manny sitting on a bench.

"Hey, are you okay?" She asked.

"I'm fine but you..Have you lost your mind? What were you thinking going upstairs into that fire?"

"I was thinking that if I didn't go up there she would die."

"Well you could've been killed."

"I didn't know you cared."

"I...I don't. But if something happened to you where would I live?"

"Ha. Ha so funny." She rolled her eyes feeling annoyed then noticed he had a large blisters on his hand. "What's this?'

"Nothing!"

"Let me see, did you burn yourself?"

"It's no big deal."

"Let me see you stupid cat."

She grabbed his hand and examined it.

"What happened?"

"When I grabbed the doorknob upstairs I burned myself."

"We should get this bandaged."

She ran her fingers gently over his hand, Manny blushed at her touch. Suddenly right before their eyes the burn vanished and his hand was completely healed. There was no scar, no mark, nothing. It was as if his hand had never been burned.

"How did that happen?" Frida asked.

"Did you do that?" Manny asked surprised.

"I..I don't know. Can you heal yourself?"

"Not that fast."

"Huh...Weird."

Meanwhile the demon woman who had tired to drain Rosie's soul escaped before she could be killed and made her way to her domain in the dark forest toward the nest where her daughter was waiting.

"Mother!" Her daughter gasped when she saw her.

"I'm sorry Zoe I failed."

"Nevermind. What happened?"

"I was attacked Zoe!" She said. "By two girls."

"Who were they?"

"One of them carried a spear and the other had blue hair."

"Andrea!" Zoe cried. "And that girl!"

"You know them?"

"The other day those two, a boy, and Manny came here and attacked our pets."

"Manny was here? Did you kill him?"

"I wanted to but...I...I wanted to learn more about him and his friends."

"I see and would this have anything to do with what happened between you two a year ago?"

"Mother please! Don't bring that up!" Zoe looked to see something caught on her mother's talon. "What's this?"

She leaned over and grabbed it. It was a lock of blue hair, Frida's hair.

"Just some hair I cut off from that girl."

"With it we can track them and seek our revenge."

They approached a black fire, it was a fire that could show images of where a person was and who they were. Zoe dropped the lock of hair into the fire, blue smoke rose from the flames taking the image of Frida who was sitting in her room sleeping in bed.

"So that's who she is." Zoe said. "Hmm...But what's that?"

The image showed a small white light glowing from inside Frida's chest.

"I don't believe it! It can't be!" Her mother said.

"What is it?"

"Her heart it glows like a star which means she's a heavenly healer."

"A what?"

"She can heal people, using the powers of heaven which means if you consume her heart you'll finally be a full demon."

"Then it is extra vital that we find her Mother."


	8. Chapter 8

"Hey Grandmami." Frida said as they walked through the market together the next day. "When you were my age did anything weird happen to you?"

"Does puberty count?"

"No I mean something out of the ordinary."

"Like what?"

"Seeing things that aren't really there."

"Well...Okay Frida the thing is-"

"Look out!" Someone shouted.

Out of nowhere a group of black barbs were fired toward them. The two quickly ducked, avoiding contact with them. Frida helped her grandmother up and they ducked under their car. One managed to stick it's way into her skirt but not her skin. After a long time of avoiding the barbs, whatever was shooting them stopped. They came out from under the car to see the words VENDETTA RIVERA written in black ooze on the walls. Frida and Sandra headed home as quickly as possible.

"I think I better call your father." Sandra said. "There's been a lot more danger here than usual."

"Okay you do that."

She went upstairs to find Manny taking a little catnap in her bed.

"Manny! Wake up!" She cried.

"Mmm...Come on Mom five more minutes." He mumbled.

"Manny it's me! Wake up! It's an emergency!" But he still didn't respond. Frida quickly grabbed her water bottle and squirted water in his face to wake him up.

"Hey!"

"We need to talk."

"About what?"

"This."

She pulled the barb from her skirt and handed it to him. He examined and sniffed it.

"Poisonous barbs. Made from snake venom, deadly nightshade, and a drop of demon's blood. Where did you get this?"

"Someone was shooting them off in town today and then wrote vendetta Rivera on a wall. Do you know anything about that?"

Manny turned pale and began to sweat nervously. He looked like he had seen a ghost.

"Manny do you know this person?"

"No! Nope! I don't know anyone! Heh, heh."

"Manny? Who is it? What do you know?"

"Nothing!"

"Tell me or I'll drench you with the hose!" She threatened.

"Alright! I'll sing! Her name is Zoe Aves. She's my ex girlfriend."

"Ex girlfriend?! I thought you said you didn't want to fall in love."

"I didn't but that doesn't mean I didn't want to date."

"You date girls with no intention of loving them one day? And I thought T.J was sick."

"It's not like I intended to date her. I had just been separated from my mother, I was living in the woods with no human contact, I was lonely. We dated for about a year then we broke up but she didn't take it well."

"Can you blame her? You broke her heart."

"You wouldn't understand, it's complicated. The point is you gotta hide me! If she finds me she will kill me!"

He hid under her bed.

"Come out from under there, have some dignity." Frida said kneeling down to the bed.

"No way! I wanna live!"

"Can't you two talk it out?"

"Oh you don't know Zoe. There's no reasoning with her. Once she's angry with someone she's not satisfied til they're dead."

"Isn't that a bit harsh?"

"She's a demon, what do you think?"

"Well you can't hide in there forever."

"I'm not. I'm just going to hide here til she leaves."

"Don't be such a coward."

"COWARD?!" He shouted coming out. "I am no coward!"

"Then be a man!"

"Look I'll talk to her but...Please!" He dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around her legs in begging form. "Please, please, please, don't make me do it today! Please! You don't know what it's like to be a man with an angry woman after his hide! Please! Please!"

"Alright! I can't stand to see a man gravel. But you better do it eventually."

"Thanks Frida. You have no idea how much I love you right now."

"Yeah whatever. Now get off me before someone sees."

"Sorry." He let go of her legs and stood up. "Also can we keep this little begging moment just between us?"

"Sure. That is if you promise to do half of my chores."

"What?! No way!"

"Then I'm sure T.J and Andrea would love to see this." She held up her phone showing a video she had taken of him pleading.

"You are a devious woman but if T.J found out about this he would never let me here the end of it."

"Good so we have a deal. Now let's go eat lunch."

They met up with T.J and Andrea at a restaurant for lunch. Manny tried to relax but he was as nervous as a tick. Every time they went to a public place he seemed to be making sure someone wasn't there. When it got late they decided to grab a smoothie and go to the movies.

"Here's your drink sir." A waitress said handing T.J a smoothie.

"Thank you. You know I don't say this to every woman but you'd be perfect as my girlfriend." He said groping her. She took his smoothie and poured it all over his head.

"Saw that coming." Andrea said drinking her smoothie.

"Oh shut up."

"Maybe if you weren't so pervy girls might actually like you." Manny said.

"Oh like you have better luck with women." T.J said.

"Um...Yeah I probably don't."

That's when he caught the scent of crow feathers and strawberries. He knew that scent all too well.

"Oh no." He thought.

"MANNY RIVERA!" A pitched voice shrieked.

The four friends turned to see a sixteen year old girl dressed in purple and black armor with black wings come flying through the window of the smoothie shop. Manny transformed and took off running with the girl chasing after him.

"Leave me alone Zoe!" He shouted.

"You're gonna pay for what you did to me! You cold hearted barbarian!"

She threw her barbs from her talons. Manny dodged them with his great speed but he couldn't run forever. Zoe whistled and a flock of crows, vultures, and hawks swooped down on the young man. They began pecking at his head and body. Then using telekinesis she lifted him up and pinned him to a tree.

"Zoe! Please I can explain!"

"Now is not the time for explanations! Now is the time for revenge!"

She pulled a dagger from her belt and pointed it to his throat. Frida, T.J, and Andrea had gone to search for Manny. They split up in different directions. It was Frida who found him and he was in the woods pinned to a tree.

"Oh my God!" Frida thought in terror. "She's really going to kill him."

She had her bow and arrow ready. Zoe's dagger moved to touch his neck, but just before she could cut his skin and Frida could fire...

"I never stopped thinking about you!" Manny choked.

"What?" Zoe said surprised.

"I never stopped thinking about you." He breathed. "I'm sorry about what I did. Really I am and not a single day goes by when I don't regret what I did to you."

She lowered her dagger.

"Why? Why did you leave me?"

"I...It's complicated. We were getting too close."

"And that's a bad thing? Would it have been so terrible if we fell in love?"

"It would have been for me."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why?"

"I just can't!"

"So you just never cared about me?"

"No! That's not true! I did care about you. You're the only person who understands what it's like to live between two worlds."

"And yet you just couldn't love me."

"I wanted to love you!"

Frida didn't know why but this really upset her. But should she be upset? She told him to work it out with her but she never thought he would still have feelings for her.

"Then come with me." Zoe said. "We can start over and have a life together."

She brought her lips to his, Manny almost kissed her but a pain in his heart stopped him.

"I can't!" He said. "I know you want this! But you and I can never be!"

Black tears began to stream down her cheeks and her purple eyes began to burn with heartbroken anger. She raised her dagger but suddenly an arrow was fired and cut her arm. She screeched and turned to see Frida ready to shoot another arrow if needed.

"Oh I see!" She cried angrily. "Is that why you won't love me?! Don't tell me that you've given your heart to this worthless human!"

"Excuse me?" Frida said.

"You've seen your last day human!"

"No! Zoe! Don't! Frida run!" Manny cried.

Zoe lunged for Frida, the blue haired girl began running for her life but the demon girl was a lot faster than she was. Thinking fast, Frida grabbed a branch, pulled it back, and when Zoe came by she released the branch which hit her in the face. Then T.J and Andrea appeared to help them. Andrea quickly threw her spear at Zoe's wing.

"My wing!"

"Zoe Aves!" T.J called. "My name is T.J and I advise you to please stop this madness! Frida has done you no harm!"

"Silence worm! Before I rip off your limbs!"

"Look surely we don't have to resort to violence." He said. "And besides if Manny isn't interested you, I am."

He pinched her bottom playfully causing Andrea to face palm in annoyance.

"How dare you!" Zoe screamed.

SLAP!

"Ow!"

She sent the shaman and warrior flying into a stone which knocked them out. Frida was out of arrows so she threw some rocks at her but Zoe stopped them with her powers.

"Really? You think you can stop me with some measly rocks?" She asked.

"Can't blame a girl for trying right?" Frida asked.

She began to choke Frida with telekinesis. She coughed and gasped for air.

"Hmm...I know you, you're that girl Mother told me about. Well once I kill you I'll cut out your heart and use it to reach my full power."

Suddenly she felt claws scratch her back cutting off her wings. She dropped Frida and turned to see Manny panting with small drops of her blood dripping from his claws. She looked at him with eyes of hurt and betrayal.

"How could you?" She whispered tearfully.

Then she ran away into the woods. Manny helped Frida up.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yes."

"Are you hurt?"

"No but um...Quick question."

"Yeah."

"Did you....Really want to love her?"

"Oh you heard all that?" He asked blushing.

"Yes."

"How much?"

"Every word."

"Well...This is embarrassing."

"Manny what exactly happened between you two? And who is she?"

"Okay, it's a long story but you deserve to know the truth. Zoe is half human like me."

"But I thought you were the only half human in the world."

"I'm the only half human half spirit in the world. She's half demon. Her mother was Carmelita the vulture demon and her father was some human drunkard named Buldeo I think."

"Didn't the council know about her?"

"No. Her mother raised her in the woods where the council couldn't smell her scent. We met about a year ago, we bounded over the facts that we both were half human and we never knew our fathers."

"Why did you break up? Though now that I've met her I can see why. Was she clingy? Rude? Annoying?"

"We were getting too close."

"That's it? Seriously?"

"Look I can't fall in love."

"Why?"

"Because I might die because of it!"

"What do you mean?"

He looked around to see if anyone was listening.

"Okay you can't tell anyone this but remember when I told you my heart was my weak spot?"

"Yes."

"Well that means if it gets wounded physically or emotionally I'm screwed."

"Emotionally?"

"If I fell in love and got my heartbroken who knows what would happen. I'm half human so I get more emotional than other spirits and demons do. If the woman I loved rejected me or betrayed me I would die, if she was ever hurt or killed I would go on a seething rampage of destruction or worse."

"Tough break. Why didn't you tell her that's why you broke up with her?"

"Because I would have to tell her what my weak spot was. The only reason I told you was because you were close to touching it and you might've killed me if I hadn't."

"So I'm guessing you don't know her weak spot?"

"Nope."

"So um do you still have feelings for her?"

"What?"

"I saw you try to kiss her. So do you?"

"That's...I...No!"

"You do! You totally do!"

"I do not!"

"You do realize that crazy girl just tried to kill you and me?"

"Hey! It's none of your business who I like!"

"Well I'm not surprised! You're both insane and annoying. I guess you two deserve each other!"

"And you're not annoying?!"

"Oh what happened?" T.J said waking up. "Andrea are you okay?"

He helped her up.

"Yes I'm fine." She said.

"You have a bump on your head."

"So do you."

"Do you feel dizzy? I can carry you if you are."

"No thank you."

"At least I'm not attracted to Psychopaths!" Frida screamed getting their attention.

"Psychopaths?! You're father is one of the biggest psychopath I've ever met! I once saw him hogtie a boy just for saying hi to you!" Manny shouted to her.

"What are those two fighting about now?" Andrea asked.

"Who cares? It's probably something stupid." T.J said.

"Yeah you're probably right. So movie?"

"Sure."

T.J and Andrea went to the movie alone while Manny and Frida fought until her grandmother became worried and started searching for her.

"Frida!" Sandra called from her car. "Frida! There you are! Do you know how late it is?"

"Sorry Grandmammi."

Frida got into the car by herself. Manny had gone to blow off some steam so he wouldn't be home for awhile.

"Frida? Is something wrong?" Sandra asked.

"No I just got into a fight with a really stupid guy."

"Ah boy trouble. I remember when your mother had it. Of course back then I didn't approve of her relationship with your father."

"No Grandma, it's not like that. He's just a guy I know and he's just so frustrating."

"I know. Spirits are difficult creatures."

"Actually he's only half spirit and-...How do you know about spirits?"

"Frida I think it's time I told you a family secret of ours."


	9. Chapter 9

When they got home Sandra locked the doors and the windows. Apparently she didn't want anyone to hear what she was about to tell her granddaughter but just before she could she received a phone call from Carmela.

"Hello?"

"Mother. I just watched the news and I saw Frida shooting an arrow at some weird creature in town."

"Did Emiliano see?"

"No and I have no intention of telling him because he might have a conniption. Now can you please tell me what my daughter was doing with a bow and arrow?"

Sandra sighed before speaking.

"She has the gift Carmela."

"What?"

"She can see them, she can heal them. Her heart is a heavenly star."

"So you found out."

"You knew?"

"Yes. I thought she didn't get it but when she was thirteen it started."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I don't want her to be like that. Mother I let my powers fade away because I didn't want my children to inherit it."

"Why? Carmela what our family has is a blessing not a curse."

"Maybe to you but to me it was always a curse."

"Carmela, Frida must learn to train her powers. I think it's time I told her and helped her learn how to use them."

"You will do no such thing!"

"But if I don't she'll eventually lose them."

"Yes and then she'll be normal like her father and her sisters."

"Normal? Please the only thing normal about that man is his eye patch."

"You know what I mean. Mother do not tell Frida about this. She needs to be a regular girl."

"With all due respect dear, I think that's her decision and how will she make it if she doesn't fully understand who she is? And powers or no powers, Frida isn't a regular girl. She's special."

"I know that and I love what makes her special but this...I left it behind when I married Emiliano. I just don't want Frida to be apart of that."

"So you would rather have her not save others when she can?"

"No I would rather her not get her heart ripped out and eaten!"

"Oh... is this about what happened to Ingrid? Darling what happened all those years ago wasn't your fault. God bless, your father died of guilt and grief for that but please not you too."

"Mother what happened to my sister almost killed me, if the same thing happened to my daughter I know I would die. So please don't tell her please just let her powers fade."

"I need to go Carmela. My tea is almost done."

She hung up, took her tea kettle off the stove and poured some into her cup. She invited Frida sit with her and poured her a cup as well.

"Frida there's something about our family that I need to tell you." She said sipping her cup. "Tell me nieta, what common things do you know that run in our family?"

"Law and police." She answered.

"Yes on your father's side but on your mother's it's a different story."

"What do you mean?"

"Years ago, around the time that he who rules above us all was granting demons a second chance to become spirits, an angel who was his servant cut herself and three drops of her blood fell on to the earth. From these three drops of blood, three angels were formed but they looked like regular mortals. They had the ability to see the unseen, heal the sick and injured, and guide those dark to see the light."

"Wait! They came from blood?"

"Pay attention! Now where was I? Oh yes. For many years they helped the spirits on their journey to protect the world unfortunately all three of them were killed by demons but one of them just before she died, gave birth to my great grandmother who inherited the heavenly gift. Which was passed on to my grandmother, my mother, and me."

"Wait how do you know all this?"

"Because I listened when people told me about it now if you don't mind I would like to continue."

"Okay, okay."

"I was thirteen when I discovered my powers and my mother trained me to use them. By the time I was fifteen I had learned well. That was also the age where I met Dora the leopard spirit."

"You met a spirit?"

"Yes. We traveled the world together and saved mankind from demons. She would fight the demons while I tended to their victims but I wanted so much more than that. During my travels I learned that demons can only be harmed by spiritual weapons and powers or things of Christ and the church. I discovered a tree that had been blessed by a priest. It was called the holy tree because it provided sanctuary and protection from demonic forces. When it was time for the tree to die I cut it down and used it's wood to carve my bow and arrows then I taught myself archery. When I shot my arrows at demons they actually pierced their skin and drew blood.

"It was you who gave me the bow and arrow that day wasn't it?"

"Yes because although you can be an excellent healer I also want you to be a fighter. So Dora and I fought demons together. We always protected and supported each other, I was her confidant and she was mine. We told each other everything."

"You must've been really close."

Sandra took off her brooch and opened it and showed Frida the left side which held a picture of two teenage girls. One was fair skinned, fair haired, and had blue eyes. Frida recognized her as her grandmother due to similar pictures she had seen. The other girl was tan skinned, had light brown hair, and brown eyes. She guessed she was Dora.

"We were so close. My parents had passed away when we met and hers had abandoned her because they were demons and she chose to be a spirit and we had no siblings so we became each other's family. We were sisters and we always thought we'd be together forever but alas nothing last forever."

"What happened?"

"Well one day she fell in love with a demon called Jorge. I warned her that a relationship between a demon and a spirit would be a difficult one but she didn't listen. They fought all the time, he didn't abuse her or hit her it's just that they hardly seemed to ever get along. But despite all the constant bickering they got married. What she saw in him I'll never know but love works in mysterious ways."

"What happened next?"

"Jorge didn't really approve of our friendship. I was pretty much the human incarnation of an angel so we had to go our separate ways. Despite this I still kept track of her and I found out she gave birth to three sons, two chose to be spirits and one chose to be a demon. As for me I married your grandfather Jose and had two daughters, your mother and your Aunt Ingrid."

"I don't have an aunt Ingrid."

"Yes you do."

She showed Frida the right side of the brooch which held a picture of her grandmother in her thirties sitting in a chair next to a man also in his thirties with light brown hair, sitting on her grandmother's lap was a little girl about twelve or thirteen years old, she looked like Frida was at that age except her hair was light brown like the man's. She recognized them as her grandfather Jose and her mother when she was a child from old pictures. But standing next to the three of them, holding hands with her grandfather was a girl she had never seen before. She looked to be about sixteen years old and had long fair hair like her grandmother did.

"That was Ingrid." Sandra said pointing to the teenage girl. "What happened to her is one of the reasons you were never told this before. Your mother and aunt were inseparable, they hardly ever fought and they did everything together. When the girls reached early teen hood I learned they inherited my powers and I began training them as soon as they showed signs of having them. I also taught them archery, your mother had a real gift for that technique."

"My Mom use a bow and arrow? I don't believe that."

"Believe it, she was one of the best archers in Miracle City. She might've done great things if...Well the problem with what we are is we're born with a heart that is a heavenly star which gives us our healing powers. If that heart is consumed by someone they will gain immortality."

"Consume? As in...Eat?"

"Yes."

"Eat a human heart?"

"That's right."

Frida felt her face turn pale for a minute.

"That's so sick and wrong."

"I know and because of that a lot of demons go after us. One day we were attacked by a demon who captured your mother and your aunt. Your grandfather and I raced to save them. We managed to save your mother but it was too late for Ingrid. He cut out her heart and ate it."

"Oh my God!"

"Your grandfather blamed himself for what happened and he took that guilt with him to the grave. We were all heartbroken, but your mother was traumatized, she was a child when it happened and the thought of it happening again scared her so much that she never used her powers again. Eventually they faded away and because of that your sisters weren't born with it but you were and she knew it but she didn't tell you or train you because she wanted your powers to fade away like hers did."

"How could she do that?"

"Try to understand Frida, she only did what she thought was best. She only wanted to keep you safe."

"Does my dad know about this?"

"No. She never told your father or your sisters. She was afraid."

"Well I'm not. I want to learn, I wanna use them."

"I can teach you but you mustn't tell anyone. If word gets out that you're a healer who knows how many demons will go after you."

"I won't tell but what about Mom?"

"I do believe your mother should know about this but we can tell her after your training."

"Great! This is so awesome! Finally there's something cool about me."

"Yes but before we continue I must ask what is your relationship with the half spirit?"

"Manny? He just lives with me."

"You two haven't...You know."

"Grandmami! Eww! Gross! No! None of that! Yuck!"

"I just wanted to make sure."

"Well now you know."

"Yes but do you like him?"

"Grandma! I'd rather not talk about this!"

"Alright." She chuckled. "Now your first lesson starts tomorrow."

...

Zoe shrieked in pain as her mother wiped the blood from her back and applied a special ointment that would grow her wings back the next time she changed into her demon form.

"Why didn't you kill him?" Carmelita asked.

"I'm sorry Mom. I...I got distracted."

"You hesitated to kill him didn't you? You fell for him again! Zoe what have I told you about men?!"

"No good can come from them."

"Exactly! I warned you about that boy! I told you not to fall in love with him! And look what happened!"

"I'm sorry Mom."

"Men abuse and abandon women! I learned that the hard way! I was arranged to marry that boy's father, Rodolfo. I was young and foolish, I thought we would be together but he said he never loved me. Then he left me and married that human!"

"Mama please not this story again." Zoe groaned.

"No! You need to hear this because it's clear you didn't learn from it! I gave him my heart and he crushed it! Then came that day where spirits and demons are stuck in their human form for twenty-fours, that's when I met your father who raped me and I couldn't fight back in my human form. I got pregnant with you! I was ashamed, so I hid myself away here where I had you and I almost killed you when you were born."

"What?" Zoe trembled.

"It's true! I preformed a c-section on myself and I almost killed you because you were forced into my body but I couldn't. Isolated you from men! Tried to raise you to beware of them and you ended up giving in to your desires! Now you've been hurt!"

"I know Mama."

"Go to the cage."

"What?"

"You need to learn! Go to the cage!"

"No Mama! Not the cage!"

As a child whenever Zoe misbehaved or if her mother thought she misbehaved she would lock her in a small yet human sized cage and she wouldn't let her out for days. The cage was made with special metal that kept demons from using their powers.

"Mama! No!" Zoe screamed as her mother forced her into the cage. Zoe tried to fight back with her telekinesis powers but Carmelita's was stronger and Zoe was half human so she ended getting locked in. "Mama! Let me out! Please! Let me out!"

But Carmelita just left her. Some demons care little to none about anyone or anything and when they've been angered or hurt they take it out on other people. Carmelita may have suffered but that was nothing compared to the abuse she inflicted on her daughter. No one else knew about this not even Manny, Zoe would have died if he ever knew about this.

"Don't worry Zoe once you become a full fledged demon you won't give in to those weak desires anymore." Carmelita assured her.

Now Zoe should probably blame her mother for such mistreatment. She was being punished for liking a boy and not killing him which in all fairness is not a good reason to punish someone. But Zoe didn't blame her mother, she blamed Frida. She saw the girl as a rival for Manny's affections and the one thing that's keeping her from true happiness. She believed that if she killed Frida and ate her heart she would be full fledged demon winning her mother's adoration instead of shame and with her competition gone she would have Manny's love. So she made a vow to one day kill Frida Suarez and consume her heart.


	10. Chapter 10

It was raining hard that night, thunder and lighting. Manny still hadn't come back yet and Frida was starting to worry. She was used to him going off on his own when he got too steamed from an argument but he was never gone this long. Though her grandmother advised against it, Frida decided to go look for him. She slipped on her jacket, grabbed a flashlight, and went to search for him. Luckily she found a trail of his footprints leading into the woods. She knew that going into the forest at night was risky especially if she wandered too far from where someone could hear her but something told her that if she wanted to find Manny she would have to go in there.

The wind blew hard against her body and it was very cold and dark. She was a little afraid but that didn't stop her. Eventually she got tired and rested by a tree for a minute, that's when she heard a familiar winnie.

"Felipe?" The white horse approached his human friend and nuzzled her. "Hi Felipe, how are you? I'm looking for my friend can you help me find him?"

Felipe nodded, Frida got on to his back and he began walking through the woods following the tracks.

"Manny!" She called. "Manny!"

That's when she heard the sound of snarling and growling, like a horrible wild animal feeding off of it's prey. It frightened Felipe but Frida calmed him down.

"Easy boy, it's alright. Just wait right here."

She got off his back, picked up a tree branch that had fallen off, and followed the strange noise. She shined her flashlight toward the figure that was making the noise. It was Manny eating a dead deer like a savage beast, Frida dropped her flashlight out of shocked gaining the boy's attention. Manny faced her with hungry predatory green eyes and bared his bloody fangs that held raw meat from the deer's body.

"Manny? Are you okay?"

He growled at her and pounced toward her as if she was an animal he was hunting but once he caught hold of her scent his siltted tiger eyes became the normal green eyes they were before. He backed away from her in horror and ran off.

"Manny wait!" She chased after him. "Manny what's wrong?"

He didn't answer, he just kept running. He was going so fast that she couldn't keep up with him. When she couldn't see him anymore she decided to climb up a tree to get a better view.

"Manny!" She called. "Where are you? What's going on?"

No answer, then lighting struck. The branch she was standing on broke and fell. She quickly grabbed another branch and held on for dear life.

"Help!"

Her hands lost their grip and she was falling. Out of nowhere Manny caught her just before she hit the ground.

"Thanks." She said.

He put her down then he changed into his human form and passed out. Frida quickly helped him on to Felipe and took him back to her house.

"Thank you Felipe." She thanked the horse. "See you around."

She felt Manny's head, it was burning up while the rest of his body was ice cold. He had a fever. She quickly brought him inside. Manny woke up the next morning in Frida's bed.

"Hey are you alright?" Frida asked him.

"Wha...What happened?" He asked dazed.

"You got yourself very sick." Sandra said.

"Who's the old lady?" Manny asked.

"Old?! Show some respect!"

"Manny this is my grandmother, you remember her right?"

"Who? Oh yeah I remember. Hey why is your hair blue?"

"Um...Is he okay?" Frida asked Sandra.

"He's fine, just a little delirious." Sandra handed Frida a wet washcloth. "I'm going to make some medicine, you keep this on his head."

Sandra left the room and went into the kitchen. Frida wiped the sweat from Manny's face with the washcloth and then pressed it on his forehead.

"Manny what were you doing out there?" She asked.

"Hunting. I was hungry."

"I thought you ate trash." She giggled.

"I prefer fresh meat. In fact that's how I got food when I lived alone in the woods, I only ate out of the garbage if I couldn't catch anything."

"I see. You know you almost attacked me back there but you stopped."

"Probably because I smelled your sweet scent."

"Well if you had gone any further I- Wait did you say sweet scent?"

"Yes, you know you smell like honeysuckle. And that's my favorite smell in the whole world because that's what my mother smells like."

"Um...Okay...Last I checked you didn't really like how smelled."

"No I was lying. I lie about a lot of things. Like remember when we first met and I said that I was spying on you because you were strange looking?"

"Yeah thanks for the reminder." She groaned.

"I was lying about that too. I was spying on you because you were so beautiful."

"Huh?!" She gasped in confusion. "Um...Do you realize what you just said?"

"What did I say?"

"You said when we first met you spied on me because you thought I was beautiful."

"Did I? Oops! That was supposed to be a secret. Don't tell Frida okay, she'll laugh at me."

"Okay it's clear that you've lost it." She said. She grabbed a bottle of medicine, opened it, and poured it into a spoon. "Now take your medicine."

"No!"

"You have to."

"No way!"

"Take it!"

"You can't make me!" He declared sealing his lips.

Frida grabbed his face and tried to pry open his lips.

"Open your mouth and take your medicine!"

"Mmm-hmmph." He said shaking his head.

Frida thought for a moment.

"Hey look a fat man trying to do push ups." Frida said.

"Where?!"

As soon as his mouth opened she shoved the spoon of medicine into his mouth and made him swallow the liquid. Manny gagged on the bitter medicine acting like it was some type of poison.

"It burns! It burns!"

Frida just rolled her eyes at his overreaction.

"Oh be a man! It was just one spoonful! Now try to get some rest." She went downstairs to put away the thermometer and medicine. He should be fine in a day or two. She just hoped something last night wouldn't happen again. When he was eating that animal he hardly seemed human. It made her worry.


	11. Chapter 11

Manny's fever was gone the next morning but he couldn't remember anything that happened yesterday.

"Oh my head." Manny groaned.

"How are you feeling tough guy?" T.J asked.

"My head hurts but other than that I'm fine. What happened yesterday?"

"You were out hunting in the woods during a storm. You had developed a fever from being in the rain for so long." Frida said. "You spent most of the day sleeping in bed and when you were awake you were very delirious and you told me some interesting things."

"Oh...Wait! What did I tell you?!"

"Let's see where to begin?" She giggled. "Well when I brought you some water to keep you hydrated you told me how you wet your bed til you were seven."

"Dude seriously?" T.J said.

T.J and Andrea burst out laughing.

"Oh God!" Manny groaned in humiliation. 

"Then you told me about your childhood fear of moose."

"No! Oh no!"

The laughter grew.

"Later on when I came to give you your medicine again and after I had to pry your mouth open to get you to take it again you wouldn't stop talking about how you think Andrea is secretly a man."

"What?!" Andrea gasped feeling insulted.

"Okay that was the fever talking." Manny said.

"I am not a man!"

"I don't know you certainly fight like one." T.J said. "I think you should prove that your female by flashing us."

THUMP!

"Ow!"

"Anything else I spouted?" Manny asked.

"You told me that sometimes T.J spies on Andrea when she showers." Frida answered.

"You what?!" Andrea growled.

"Manny!" T.J snapped.

"How dare you!" She grabbed her spear. "This is going through your brain!"

She began chasing T.J around the house. Now it was Manny's turn to laugh but then he thought of something.

"Frida did I say anything about you?"

"Well-"

"It's lies! Whatever I said it was the fever I swear!"

"Oh..." She said disappointed. "Yeah I figured."

"What did I say?"

"Nothing. Nothing important." She sighed. "Excuse me I think I need to work on my guitar practice." She went upstairs to her bedroom.

"My, my, my, boys can be so clueless." Sandra said.

"Hmmph...What do you know?" Manny mumbled. "Crazy old lady."

"I heard that! You young man are quite rude." She turned toward him. "Didn't that church teach you to respect your elders?"

"Wait! You can see me?! Oh right I'm not invisible. Hey how did you know I was raised in the church?"

"Well for one thing I could see you even if you weren't invisible and second Frida told me."

"She told you?! How much?"

"A lot."

"Did she tell you about my..."

"No she didn't tell me about your weak spot. I do wonder why you told her?"

"Let's just say it was a life or death situation."

"I see. So tell me, what is your relationship with my granddaughter?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean are you friends or lovers?"

"Friends! Just friends! I swear! I don't know if she mentioned it but I vowed never to fall in love."

"Ha! You sound like your grandfather."

"You knew my grandfather?"

"Yes and your grandmother, we were best friends in our youth, almost like sisters."

"Did you ever meet my father?"

"Once but he was just a child, no more than five years old."

"What was he like?"

"Like most children his age."

"What about my grandparents?"

"Well your grandfather was greedy, selfish, controlling, and a con artist. Your grandmother was the very opposite, kind, generous, understanding, and honest."

"Really?"

"Yes. They made a very strange couple and for reasons only God knows, your grandmother came to love that jackass. No offense to your family."

"None taken I never knew him or my father." He said. "So what's up with Frida? What did I say to her last night?"

"I think she should be the one to tell you that."

"Get back here you!" Andrea shouted swinging her spear.

"Andrea I swear it was a one time thing and I only saw your back!" T.J cried.

"Um should we stop them?" Sandra asked.

"Don't worry the worst she'll do is knock him out." Manny reassured.

"Andrea what are you, part amazon?" T.J asked.

"Actually yes. My grandmother used to be part of the Amazonian tribe until she left it to marry my grandfather. Now where was I? Oh yes I was trying to kill you."

Meanwhile not too far from where they were someone was looking for Manny.

"Davi look." A young man bent down over the ground at a trail of shoe prints in the dirt. He was about seventeen years old, had straight and neatly combed hair, tan skin, and brown eyes. He was very slender and skinny but at the same time he looked so very strong while his face wore a serious expression. He was Nicholas, spirit of the jaguar, son of Santiago the spirit of the lion. He was known to be very dangerous when angered but most of the time he was calm.

"I found his tracks." He sniffed the ground. "These tracks reek of tiger fur, human blood, and sniff, sniff, hair gel. Lots of hair gel, yep it's Manny alright."

"Sir are you sure we should be tracking him down?" The fifteen year old nerd was Davi, Nicholas's servant. He was chosen to serve as a scholar and to inform Nicholas of important things he also occasionally served as amusement for him. "I mean rumors say he's become more powerful...But definitely not more powerful than you! I'm sure he's no where near as powerful as you!"

"So what's the problem?"

"Well shouldn't you save your powers for something not as wasteful?"

"Davi."

"Stop speaking."

"Yes sir."

"Hey guys! Wait for me!" A girl was hurrying behind them. She was fourteen years old, fair haired and blue eyed with a cheerful face.

"Do try to keep up Lilith." Nicholas said.

"Yes sir. Sorry." She panted.

"Lilith, wait here and stay out of trouble." He ordered.

"Yes sir."

Nicholas and Davi then followed the trail.

"Beg your pardon sir but why do you keep Lilith around? Do you care for her?" Davi asked.

"Don't be stupid! I am not like Uncle! Lilith is merely the illegitimate child of one of Father's servants." He said. "Her mother died shortly after her birth-"

"Kind of like yours did."

PUNCH!

"Ow!"

"Anyway, since she was faithful Father decided to repay the woman by placing her child in a protected land to be raised by his other servants but a demon burned down the land so he chose me to protect her."

"Why you?"

"I don't know,I wonder why not Uncle? He's the one with the soft spot for humans or better yet why not my cousin? He's half human after all."

"Best not to question your father."

"You're right about that. The last time someone defied Father they never saw the light of God again."

...

Knock-knock!

"Who is it?" Frida asked.

"It's Manny."

"Please go."

"Can we talk? In all fairness I don't even remember what I said to you." Then his ears picked up something creeping around outside. He looked out the window and saw Nicholas coming toward the house. "Oh great! Frida stay inside!"

"Why?"

"Just do it!"

He went outside and to face his cousin. Frida looked through the window and watched curiously.

"Who's that?" She wondered.

"Hello Manny, how are you?" Manny's cousin asked.

"What do you want Nicholas?"

"I'm looking for a healer."

"A what?"

"A human who's a descendant of an angel. They possess a star for a heart which gives them angelic powers to heal the sick and injured they also can grant immortality if their heart is eaten. I was told that one is near you."

"What the hell are you talking about? The only people near me are a pervy a shaman, a man hating warrior, an old woman, and a blue haired girl."

"Well one of them is a healer and I need them."

"What for?"

"None of your business! Now step aside while I find out which one of them is it."

"Hold it! Just what do you plan to do with this healer?"

"As I said none of your business."

"Well that tells me whatever you have planned can't be good."

Manny blocked Nicholas's way. The young spirit was very angry with this but kept his temper under control.

"You better do as he says Manny." Davi said.

"Who's the dork?" Manny asked.

"Dork?! How dare you insult me! I'll have you know I am one of the smartest and knowledgeable humans in the world! Of all the disrespect I have never-"

"Davi."

"Yes Nicholas."

"Shut up you are a dork."

"Yes I am."

"Manny this is Davi an extraordinary scholar that Father assigned to guide me. A rather annoying one though. Now if you do not plan to let me find this healer easily I'm afraid I must fight you."

"Bring it!"

Manny transformed into his spiritual form.

"Davi, return to Lilith if you value your life."

"Yes sir."

He ran off as the two engaged in a fight. Manny was strong but Nicholas was a full fledged spirit which made him ten times as strong and powerful than his half human cousin. Young man transformed into a large flaming jaguar and lunged for Manny. Frida quickly grabbed her bow and arrow and rushed outside with T.J and Andrea following. Nicholas roared and bit down on Manny's neck. Manny howled in pain as the sharp fangs dug into his flesh. Frida shot an arrow straight into Nicholas's arm. He howled just as Manny did and dropped the half spirit. He stared angrily at Frida, He was about to attack her when Andrea stabbed his leg with her spear. He clawed at Andrea knocking her to the ground.

"Andrea!" Frida gasped running to her side.

Her face had a large scratch mark that was bleeding. Frida tore off her sleeve and used it to press on her wound. T.J felt a great rage come over him as he looked at Andrea's scarred face.

"How dare you!" T.J shouted angrily.

He took a handful of dust from his bag and threw it into his eyes. Nicholas hissed in anger, the dust T.J had thrown was made from the eye of a blind demon. If thrown into someone's eyes it would temporarily blind them. Now that Nicholas could no longer see for the moment, it allowed T.J to beat him off with Andrea's spear.

"Don't you ever hurt Andrea again!" He ordered.

"Take it easy man." Manny said. "I got him!"

Manny grabbed Nicholas by his furry neck and flung him into the forest.

"And don't come back!" Manny shouted to him.

"Guys! Get help!" Frida said trying to stop the bleeding.

T.J lifted up Andrea's body and carried her back to Frida's house with Manny and Frida following. When they arrived, Sandra had them lay her in bed while she inspected her wounds. Poor T.J was worried out of his mind about the girl.

"She'll be alright T.J." Frida reassured him. "My grandmami knows what she's doing."

"I hope so. Um Manny."

"Yeah."

"Who was that guy? And what did he want from you?"

"His name is Nicholas, he's the spirit of the jaguar and my cousin."

"Woah! Wait up! He's your cousin!?" Frida said shocked.

"Yes. Fun fact my father has two brothers, one of them my Uncle Santiago got married and had a son. My cousin Nicholas who's a great big pain in the ass."

"Did you ever know your uncle?" Frida asked.

"No but frankly I wish I had met him instead of Nicholas. Ever since we were kids all he ever did was treat me lower than him because I'm half human or at least that what he says."

"Well why do you think he does it?"

"I think he's always been jealous of the fact I grew up with my mother while his had to move on the day he was born."

"Move on?"

"To heaven. She had was a weak spirit and delivering a child was too much for her I guess."

"That's sad."

"Yeah well he got to grow up with his father while mine just disappeared and you don't see me picking on those weaker than me."

"T.J I need some ice!" Sandra called.

"Alright."

"What happened to Andrea is very serious she can only be saved by a few herbs. Frida! Manny! Go into the woods and look for some herbs. If I can make proper ointment I can heal her scratch with no scars!"

Manny and Frida went into the woods and split up to find the herbs. Frida found some growing by a river and began to gather some. Suddenly she was startled by a growl, she turned around to see Nicholas on the ground badly injured and in pain. He turned back into his human form and passed out. She was just about to run away when a voice cried out.

"Wait! Stop!" Lilith grabbed Frida's hand. "Please help him."

"Sorry but he tried to kill my friends."

"You don't understand, he was trying to find a healer. He was poisoned during a battle a week ago and as we speak is about to die."

"If that's true then why not ask for help?"

"My friend is a very proud and stubborn spirit. He doesn't want anyone to think he's weak so he kept it a secret. I saw what he did and I'm very sorry about his cruel nature but I promise you he does mean well. Please I beg you don't let him die."

Frida sighed. "Alright I'll help him but what I'm about to do you can't tell anyone okay? Promise."

"You have my word."

Frida placed her hands on Nicholas's body. She took a deep breath and began to think about the wounds on his body just like her grandmother taught her how. Lilith watched as a glowing light shine from her fingers and healed all of Nicholas's wounds.

"Oh thank you." Lilith said.

"Yeah but don't tell him anything about this okay?"

"I know. I won't."

Frida then rushed back to her house wondering why on earth Lilith wanted that cruel spirit to live. When she and Manny got back, Sandra crushed the herbs into an ointment and spread it on Andrea's scarred face. By morning her face was completely healed with no scars.

"Wow that stuff did the trick." Andrea said looking at her face in the mirror. "Thanks Sandra."

"Think nothing of it dear."

Knock-knock!

"I'll get it." Frida went to answer the door and to her surprise it was her parents. "Mom? Dad? You're back early."

"Well that's because your mother said it was an emergency and we needed to come home right away." Emiliano said.

"Okay but can you just wait here for a minute." She closed the door. "Everyone out! My parents are back!"

As for Nicholas, when he woke and asked Lilith how he was healed she told him that an angel of mercy saved him. Though Nicholas wasn't sure she was telling the truth he didn't really care.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Lilith asked.

"I'm fine, stop worrying." He said annoyed. "Why Father chose me to be your protector I'll never know."

"Where to now sir?" Davi asked.

"To find my dear uncle."

"Rodolfo sir? But he's been missing for years. The only person who knows where he is, is your grandfather and you know there's no cooperating with him."

"Not Uncle Rodolfo, my other uncle."

"Him!? Nicholas you can't be serious! Not-"

"Yes we're going to find Tito."

"But sir he's a demon, a monster, more evil than anyone even your grandfather which is why he didn't object when your father and Uncle Rodolfo sealed him away fifteen years ago."

"I know that fool but Father has been visiting his cell frequently and that worries me that Tito might be planning something."

"Well if your father has been to see him then something must be wrong."

"Yes and I sense a great terror coming in a few weeks."


	12. Chapter 12

Anita and Nikita were away at college now, they were studying to be a cop and a lawyer so they wouldn't be home for most of the time. As for Frida's parents,?Frida and her grandmother would have a difficult time keeping everything a secret especially from her mother. The real reason Carmela cut their trip short was because she was suspicious of what her mother was up to.

"So what brings you two back so soon?" Sandra asked.

"I was just concerned about you two." Carmela said. "What with all the strange new dangers in the city."

"Darling I may be old but I can defend myself."

"Mother a word please, in private."

They went upstairs into another room and locked the door.

"Alright Mother what did you say to Frida?"

"What do you mean dear?"

"Don't play innocent with me. I know you, you said something. Hinted it maybe."

"Now Carmela you know I rather detest hints."

"Mother something's different. I can feel it, now tell me and don't try to lie because I can see right through you."

"Very well I guess there's no hiding now." Sandra wanted to tell her but she had promised Frida she wouldn't however she didn't want to lie to her daughter. "Frida's been seeing a boy."

"What?"

"They're not dating, just friends but knowing your husband he'll freak out anyway."

"That's it?"

"Do I show any signs of dishonesty?"

Carmela looked at Sandra skeptically. She didn't have any of her physical guilt signs so she wasn't lying.

"No...So who is he?"

"Just a young man she met in the woods."

"The woods?"

"Don't ask dear."

"Does he live around here."

"Not sure."

"Does she like him?"

"According to her she'd rather kiss a rattle snake than date him."

"Well if that's it then I'm relieved. That is until Emiliano finds out about this."

"I wouldn't worry too much about that, he's not exactly as sharp as you are."

"Mother!"

"I'm just saying."

So they got Carmela to be less tense but she kept her eyes and ears open for anything not right. On Sunday they went to church, Manny came along but he had to be invisible and he couldn't speak around anyone. When it got late that night he went outside and started a fire, he sat there and felt the fire's warmth as he began to think. Being in church today made him think of his mother Maria. The nuns had fixed up two rooms with beds for him and his mother to sleep in at night.

Manny missed his mother so much. Her name was Maria, she was a kind and loving woman, always doing everything she could to raise him. She worked at a library it didn't pay much but it was the best she could do. During Christmas and his birthday she would set aside money to save to get him a present. He treasured every gift she gave him. In the summer they would go camping up at a lake house. They would swim, fish, hike, and bike ride then when it got late they would build a fire, roast marshmallows, and watch the stars. He loved their camping trips. He remembered the very last one they went on. He was thirteen, it was when he first discovered his powers and after she told him he was half spiritual.

"Ugh! Get off of me!" Manny said as he tried to get melted, mushy marshmallow off his face.

"Here let me help." Maria pulled out a napkin and wiped his face.

"Mom, what was Dad like?" He had asked while roasting another marshmallow on a stick.

"He was kind, honest, fair, just, and very handsome." She said. "You have his chin you know and his smile."

"When did you meet?"

"At a very young age." She sighed. "I was in college. Eighteen years old, a freshman. I was dead set on becoming a novelist since I loved to read and write so much. I studied hard and got good grades."

"When did Dad come in?"

"I was in the library doing some notes when I saw him. He was outside wondering around on campus. He looked to be about maybe 21 years old, I had never seen him before but he was certainly the most handsome man I had ever seen. I started seeing him around campus almost everyday I asked people if they knew who he was but no one did. Finally one day I decided to walk up to him and ask him."

"What happened?"

"First he told me his name then I asked him if he was a student here. He told me no then I asked if he was a teacher he told me no then I asked if he was the janitor and he told me no to that to. So I asked him if he wasn't a student, teacher, or janitor why was he on campus and he told me he was observing."

"Observing?"

"Yes he told me he was observing human youth and rebellion."

"That's weird."

"I admit I did think it was odd but at the same time I was intrigued. So I invited him to get coffee."

"Then what?"

"We talked and he told me about his life and his family."

"Did you start dating after that?"

"No. At the time I already had a boyfriend, he seemed nice when we first went out but he turned out to be a big mistake. He was controlling, overbearing, always drinking and very jealous. He went nuts if I even talked to another boy. I broke up with him but he never accepted it and he blamed your father."

"What a creep."

"I know. Your father was such a good friend to me through it all and he protected me too. One night my ex boyfriend came into my dorm room drunk and tried to rape me, then out of nowhere he came running in at full speed and saved me but he looked different. He looked feral and vicious like a wild animal. I was frightened, it was then that he told me he was a spirit and that he loved me. We began dating after that and we had a lot of problems but he we got through it."

"Did you ever get married?"

"Yes. We had been together for six months when he proposed, I said yes but because I was human we had to keep it a secret. We got married here it was a small wedding but a wonderful one. For our honeymoon we spent it here too then you came along and everything was perfect but he had to leave."

"So he did abandon us?"

"No. Manny it wasn't like that. He loved you so much, we talked about having kids but we wanted to wait awhile because I was still in college and he had so many enemies determined to find his weakness. But on our first night he forgot to change out of his physical human form and that resulted in me getting pregnant with you. It was too soon, we tried to hide you but your uncle found out and he blabbed. Near the end of my pregnancy one of his enemies tried to kill me one night, your father told me to go to the church. He said no demon could harm me or you there and then he said that he had to stay away from us to protect us. It broke his heart but he didn't know any other way."

"Do you miss him?"

"So much."

When they came home from the trip they found the church in shambles.

"Oh my God." She gasped.

"El Mal Verde destroyed it." A deep voice said. They turned to see a group of a men.

"Who are you guys?" Manny asked.

"We are the high council of Spirits and Demons." One said. "You are Rodolfo's human wife yes?"

"Yes." Maria said.

"And this boy is his half human son?"

"Yes."

"Maria, now that your son has reached puberty his powers are now being activated which will attract your husbands enemies."

"We can't allow innocent people to be killed." Another said. "I'm afraid we must separate you and the boy."

"What?" Manny said.

"Manny go over there please." Maria said.

He did as his mother said.

"He can't live in human society. He must go live in the forest, away from humans and you."

"You can't! You already forced his father to leave him you can't force me to leave him! I'm all he has!"

"I'm sorry Maria but now that he has his powers he can't develop any bounds with anyone. It's too dangerous, we're going to have to relocate you. Men take the boy."

"No! You can't take him!"

"Mama?" Manny said.

Two council members grabbed Manny and took him to the forest while the others restrained Maria.

"Let go of me! Right now!Mom!"

"No! I'm his mother! Don't take him! He's my baby! Don't take my baby!" Maria sobbed.

The mother and child screamed, struggled, and reached for each other but the council were stronger and more powerful. In the end they were separated. A tear fell from Manny's eye has the memory of that horrible day played back in his mind. He blamed himself for what happened that day, if only he had been stronger he might still be with his mother.

"Hey." A voice said. He turned around to see Frida coming over with a bag. "Aren't you getting cold out here?"

"No."

"Well since you like campfires I brought you something." She opened her bag and pulled out blankets, a portable DVD player, some movies, a couple of sodas, and marshmallows. "Wanna camp out?"

"Sure." He said smiling. So they laid out the blankets, turned on the player, and watched a movie while drinking soda and roasting marshmallows.

"So where do your parents think you are?" Manny asked.

"They think I'm at an overnight study session at school." Frida said.

"They believed that?"

"You could fill a book with unbelievable stuff that my parents will believe."

They laughed and continued watching the movie, it was a war movie. It was a very violent action movie with a lot of fighting and explosives.

"Good movie." Manny said.

"Yeah."

"And there's not a lot of mushy stuff."

"Yeah I know that stuff can get so gross but there is this one romantic scene at the end but we can just not watch that part."

"But what do we do?"

"We can talk. Oh boy here it comes."

On screen a soldier and nurse were running into each other's arms.

"So why did you come out here?" Frida asked as she ate another roasted marshmallow.

"I...I don't know." He ate another one too but it ended up getting smeared all over his face. He tried to wipe it off but it only got more stuck to his hands. "Oh come on! Get off!"

"Here let me help." She pulled a napkin from her pocket and wiped his face. "There we go."

"Um...Thanks." He said blushing. "You know Mom and I would have camp outs like this, minus the violent war movie."

"You really miss her don't you?" Frida said drinking some soda.

"Yeah."

"Was she pretty?"

"Yeah."

"Have you ever tried looking for her?"

"For that first year I was alone, I looked everywhere but I never found her. It was almost like she had disappeared completely off the face of the earth."

"I'm really sorry, no kid should be separated from their mother."

"The council said I can't form bounds with people. I guess that means I'm destined to always be alone."

"I don't believe that." She said. "No one is destined to be alone and you will never be alone."

"What makes so sure?"

"Well we are friends right?"

"Yeah I guess so."

"Then that settles it. Which means if we ever get separated you'll have to come find me because friends don't leave each other alone."

"I guess that makes sense."

"Then promise me."

"Promise you what?"

"That you'll always find me."

"Okay, I promise that no matter what happens no matter how long it takes I'll always find you."

"And I promise that I will wait for as long as it takes."

"Shake on it?"

"Double cross."

"What's that?"

"It's when we both cross our hearts."

They crossed their hearts and looked back at the movie to see if it was over. But the scene was still going on, the solider and nurse embraced each other making both of them feel awkward. Frida was getting tired and decided to get some sleep. She unknowingly laid her head on Manny's shoulder thinking it was her blanket.

"Um Frida." He said blushing.

"Hmm?" She replied sleepily.

"Well you're...kind of...uh..."

"Yes?" She said half asleep.

"Nevermind."

"Goodnight Manny."

Manny felt himself blush real bad but then casually tip-toed his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him.

"Goodnight Frida." He said.

The two fell asleep as the movie ended with the soldier and nurse sharing a passionate kiss. As the two slept they were unaware they were being watched by Maria, she wasn't really there she was just a projection of her love and compassion. She approached the two sleeping teenagers and planted a kiss on her son's head.

"I'll love you forever." She whispered. Than she turned to Frida and kissed her forehead. "Thank you."

Then she faded.


	13. Chapter 13

"Where are those two?" T.J said as he and Andrea searched for Manny and Frida.

"Don't know but we better find them before Mr. Suarez gets suspicious." Andrea said.

They searched the woods for three hours finding no trace of them. That is until T.J caught the scent of smoke.

"I think I found them."

Following the smoke smell, they found Manny and Frida asleep next to each other with their arms and legs intertwined with each other.

"Aww they look so cute." T.J teased.

"Ahem!" Andrea coughed.

"Mmmm...Five more minutes Mom." Manny moaned in his sleep.

He opened his eyes as did Frida.

"What are you two looking at?" Frida asked.

Then she and Manny looked at their position and backed away from each other while blushing.

"Andrea I do believe we caught them at a bad time." T.J teased.

"Shut up! It's not what you think!" Manny said.

"What are you two doing here?" Frida asked.

"Your dad is worried about you." Andrea said.

"Okay then I guess that means I better head back." She said.

They got up and packed up their things from last night and started to head back into town. During the walk however Manny had the strangest feeling they were being watched.

"Is something wrong Manny?" Frida asked.

"I think someone's following us." Manny said.

"Here take this." She held up a wooden cross.

"It's a holy charm. I made it from one of my arrows, my grandma says it'll keep away demons."

"Thanks but I don't need a stupid charm."

"Rude." She muttered.

"I'll take it but it won't do any good."

He took it and dropped it in his shirt. As they continued on Manny caught the scent of fire and wolf. Suddenly a pack of wolves, jackals, and coyotes came racing toward them. The group took off running but the wild canines were a lot faster than them. Soon they had the group cornered.

Suddenly a flame came bursting from the ground. A handsome 16 year old man with pale skin, white hair, and red eyes dressed in red and black rose from the flames.

"Django?" Manny said.

"You know this guy?" T.J said.

"He's a wolf demon, an undead wolf demon, and a great big jerk. He bullied me all the time when we were kids. He finally stopped after I beat him in a fight for trying to attack one of the nuns."

"That wasn't a fair fight!" Django shouted but then calmed down. "That aside Manny, how are you? It's been too long."

"Not long enough apparently." Manny said. "What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to catch up and maybe have another duel."

"What? No way. I've got a lot better things to do."

"Really? Like hang out with these pathetic humans?"

"Hey!" The three humans cried,

"Although that one with blue hair is quite fetching." He approached Frida and flashed her his best smile. "Hi I'm Django, you single?"

"Hey buddy stay away from her or I'll tear your carcass open!"

"What's the matter mutt? Was she your woman first?"

"For the record I am no one's woman." Frida protested.

"We'll get back to that later babe in the meantime, how about a little wager Manny? If you win you get some of my family's treasure."

"Not interested."

"Then I guess a different approach is needed."

In one swift move he grabbed Frida and threw her over his shoulder. Manny tried to stop him but the pack blocked his way.

"Hey!" Frida cried.

"Put her down!" Manny demanded.

"Meet me at the grave yard at dusk or you'll never see her again! And don't be late because if I get too bored I might have to have a little fun with her."

"You bastard! If you touch her I'll kill you!"

"We'll see."

With that said he vanished in fire with the pack retreating.

"Frida! Damn him!" Manny shouted. "He better not hurt her!"

Manny rushed toward the grave yard with great speed, he ran so fast that T.J and Andrea had difficulty trying to keep up with him. Meanwhile Frida was struggling to get loose but Django had a strong grip on her.

"Let go of me!" She demanded. "Okay now I really have a wedgie. Listen you if you don't put me down right now I may just have to yank out all your teeth!"

"Now that's not very lady like."

When they got to the grave yard he kept her in a circle that used a field to keep her trapped. She watched as the wolves, jackals, and coyotes changed into pale, rotting men who looked like either skeletons or zombies.

"So what are we gonna do with her?" One of them asked.

"Let's eat her brain!" Another suggested.

"That's disgusting Che! You know we've evolved passed that!" Django said.

"She looks soft." Another said. "Can we touch her?"

"Nobody touches her until Manny gets here and if anyone does I'll rip off their head!" Django said. "Now go keep an eye out for him!"

"Yes sir!" They replied as they changed back into wild undead canines and went to do as they were told.

"Um...What exactly are you going to do to me?" Frida asked.

"Relax Frida I'm just using you as leverage for Manny." He said. "So do you wanna see a movie after this?"

"You're really going to ask me that after kidnapping me?"

"Okay you got a point, well waiting for Rivera may take awhile so care to play poker?"

"Sure."

So they played cards for the next few hours. Frida was pretty much an expert on card games so she beat him ten times.

"Ha! I win again!" She cheered in victory.

"No fair! Are you cheating?"

"No I'm just lucky."

"So are you and Manny together?"

"No he just lives with me."

"Lives with you?"

"Not like that and besides I think he still has the hots for his ex girlfriend."

"Zoe?"

"You know her?"

"She stops by the demon bar once a month to attack drunkards."

"Scary but funny."

"I know."

"So what do you have against Manny?"

"It's because of him I lost my honor and there is only one way I can regain it. One I kill him in a battle."

"Kill him! You can't!"

"He beat me in a fight years ago and I lost my honor! My father disowned me and my people consider me a laughing stock! So I have to kill him to get it back!"

"Don't you dare hurt him! You'll be sorry if I you do! I mean it Django, if you hurt him I'll never forgive you!"

"Hmmm...Are you sure you two aren't together?"

"Hey dog breath!" Manny called. "Give me back Frida! Now!"

"Of course, after you beat me. Now let's fight mutt."

Django transformed into a flaming fire wolf and charged toward Manny. Manny transformed and jumped out of the way causing him to hit his head in a tree. He angrily lunged for the boy and bit him, Manny scratched him right across his face. Frida was trying to break the barrier so she could help Manny but every time she tried she shocked herself.  
Django pinned Manny down and bared his black fangs ready to tear out his chest. But when he bit down he didn't bite flesh, he bit something else. Something that made him hiss in pain. He had bitten the cross in Manny's shirt and anything holy or of Christ was the greatest weapon against demons.

The demon wolf rolled around the ground feeling a burning sensation form the little wooden cross. While he was distracted, Manny punched him in the jaw and flung him into a tree. He took his regular form and glared at him with eyes of vengeance.

"Once again!" He hissed. "You cost me my honor! Because of you I may never be able to be considered as a ruler in my father's eyes! You'll pay for this Manny! I swear it and as for you Frida!"

"Yes?"

"Manny doesn't deserve you."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Manny asked.

"After how you treated Zoe, I don't think you should be with any woman especially not that little beauty." He said pointing toward Frida. "She's better off with me."

"Why you-"

"Don't get too attached to him Frida because one day I'm gonna kill him and once he's gone you'll be mine for the taking."

"Alright! That's it!" Manny grabbed Django's throat and began strangling him. "I'll tear you apart with my claws and leave you for the vultures! Frida isn't going anywhere with you! She's not your property! She's a human being! Got that?!"

"Will you two knock it off?" Frida asked.

Django broke away from at great speed then smiled at Frida.

"Call me if things don't work out with you and Manny."

Then he disappeared in fire, the barrier that held Frida faded.

"Are you okay?" Manny asked her. "Did he hurt you?"

"No he just asked me out."

"He what?!"

"Relax I rejected him but I kind of feel sorry for him."

"Are you crazy?"

"Well he was disowned."

"He kidnapped you and tried to kill me!"

"I know! And he's a jerk for that! But he was nice to me."

"Hold up, do you like this guy?"

"No but he is kind of cute."

"You're insane."

"Okay you are in no position to lecture me about crushes considering your ex girlfriend tried to kill both us!"

"So you do like him?" He asked him getting nervous.

T.J and Andrea finally caught up with them.

"Okay what did we miss?" T.J asked.

"For your information I don't like him that way!" Frida cried. "And what if I do? It's not like you care, do you?"

"Of course not! You could marry him for all I care!"

"So why are you so mad at me?!"

"Are those two fighting again?" Andrea asked.

"Yep." T.J said.

"What is it this time?"

"Django likes Frida and Manny is being a jerk about it."

"I'm going home!" Frida shouted.

She turned to her heels and walked back to her house.

"What could she possibly see in him? He's not even good looking." Manny complained.

"Manny I'm pretty sure she doesn't like him that way." Andrea said.

"If I didn't know any better Manny I'd say you were jealous." T.J said.

"Me? Jealous? Of him? You must be joking! Why would I be jealous of him?!"

"Because he likes Frida and she pities him."

"So? I don't care! What, you think I like her? Please! Don't make me sick!"

"Well why else would you be this angry?" Andrea asked.

"Because he's my enemy! And I am not jealous! I have decided never to date again so I have absolutely no reason to be jealous! If she likes him fine by me! I just hope she understands that he tried to kill me!"

"Like when Zoe tried to kill her?"

"Well...Uh...That's different."

"No it's not." Andrea said. "You are very sympathetic toward Zoe and may still have feelings for her even though she's a murderess wretch and Frida has sympathy for Django despite the fact he's an insane psychopath."

"Point is dude you're both attracted to crazy people but I sort of don't blame you for Zoe." T.J said. "I mean have you seen her legs."

SMACK!

"Ow!"

"You're not helping!" Andrea hissed.

"My relationship with Zoe is completely different from Django's little crush on Frida." Manny said.

"How is it different?" T.J said.

"There is no difference he's just jealous." Andrea said.

"I am not! Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to hunt a wild boar because I'm hungry." Manny marched off into the woods.

"Typical men." Andrea said. "It's okay for them to fool around with other women but if one woman they like attracts the attention of another man they think it's wrong."

"Not me."

"Yeah right. So how long do you think it'll be before they make up?"

"Only God knows."

"Though I'm curious, Frida said Django's family disowned him. Why is that?"

"I read about him once, Django is the son of Zhar the great coyote demon and grandson of Sartana the Jackal demon leader of their clan. He's destined to one day rule but losing to a half spirit must've made him look weak to his father and he disowned him until he kills Manny. Demons are very proud creatures, they considered themselves above everyone even God."

"As sad as that is I still think he's nuts."

"Me too."


	14. Chapter 14

Frida yawned and stretched as she woke up the next morning. She looked to see that the mattress that Manny had slept on was empty and hadn't of been slept in yet. Meaning Manny didn't come to her house last night. He was probably out hunting or sulking so it didn't bother her that he wasn't here.

She got out of bed, got dressed, and went downstairs to eat breakfast. While she ate her parents drank their coffee quietly, they hadn't said a word yet which almost always meant they were going to talk to her about something. So she prepared herself for major awkwardness.

"So Frida when are we going to meet your friend?" Carmela asked.

"What friend?"

"The boy you've been seeing."

"Huh?!"

"What?!" Emiliano shouted.

"What boy? Who?" Frida said playing dumb.

"Your grandmother told me everything."

"Everything?!"

"Don't worry Hija it's okay for you to have a boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend!"

"He better not be!" Emiliano shouted angrily. "Who is he?! Where is he from?! Does he have a record?!"

"Emiliano please." Carmela calmed. "So what's he like? Is he cute?"

"Um...I guess."

"Why don't you invite him over tonight so that we can meet him?"

"I don't know he's not really a people person."

"Nonsense I'm sure he's wonderful."

"And if he's not I'll kill him." Emiliano said.

Frida thought she would have a panic attack. How could her grandma tell her parents about Manny? What her parents think if they even met Manny? She remembered how she would bring friends over to meet her parents and it always ended in disaster. Her mother would embarrass her and her father would get into a long boring conversation about the law, if it was a boy he would give him death glares and ask him questions like if he had a record or if he was interested in having sex with her. That was really embarrassing for her.

She went to the park and began writing in her song book to calm herself down. She loved music, she kept a book in which she'd write down all her favorite songs and try to sing them later. Sometimes she'd sing as she wrote it down.

_"I know that you have a new love_

_Nevertheless I wish you all the best_

_If in me you didn't find happiness_

_Perhaps someone else will give it to you_

_Like the flower with so much love_

_That you gave it to me, shriveled_

_I'm leaving today, I know to lose_

_But oh, how hurts me."_

"Nice set of pipes." Manny said.

"Oh my God!" She gasped dropping her book. "Where did you come from?!"

"Didn't you ever have health class? When a boy and a girl love each other very much-"

"Not that you big goon! I mean where have you been?"

"Hunting for breakfast and I brought leftovers."

He held up a paper bag that wreaked of something dead. Frida thought she'd be sick.

"What is that?"

"Bear liver, deer heart, sheep stomach, and pig intestines."

"That's so gross."

"Actually it's a lot taster than it sounds and quite nutritious." He said. "It's still fresh and bloody, want some?"

"I'll pass." She said trying not to gag.

"Suit yourself. So um...Do you like to sing?"

"Yes, I love music but I only sing when I'm alone."

"Why don't you sing on stage?"

"I want to but my dad wants me to get into law enforcement like my sisters. He says singers don't make it in this world."

"If you ask me you'd make it."

"Why do you think that?"

"Because...Well...You kind of, sort of, have a lovely voice." He trailed off.

"What was that?"

"I said you have a lovely voice." He mumbled.

"Come again?"

"You have a lovely voice!"

"Really?" She said smiling and blushing.

"Hey don't go all soft on me there are lots of people who can sing good but they're not people I like."

"I see."

"That aside, what's new?"

"My parents want to meet you."

"What?! But they don't even know about me."

"My grandma told them."

"Did she tell them everything?"

"About you being half spirit no, so far all my parents know about you is that you're some boy I hang around and they want to have you over for dinner."

"No way."

"If you don't my father will get suspicious."

"So?"

"So that means he'll have my house on high alert meaning he'll have his police dogs in the house where they'll be able to sniff you out and tear you to shreds."

"Okay you have a point. So what time do you need me there?"

"6:00 and don't be late."

"Gotcha." He began walking away.

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know eat, sleep, hunt. I'll catch ya later Angel eyes."

"Stop calling me that!"

"Freedom of speech woman! Deal with it!"

Frida rolled her eyes as she watched him run off. He basically spent the whole day walking around town watching people work or shop. Occasionally he got bored and played a harmless prank to amuse himself. His favorite person to prank was the vice principal of Frida's school. He was a mean man who didn't like kids or teenagers or adults or anyone. He found him sleeping in his office, the clever boy slipped into his office through the window, pulled out a pair of scissors, and cut off half of his mustache.

"Come back here you delinquent!" He shouted when he woke up.

Manny snickered as he ran to hide somewhere. Out of the blue he was grabbed by T.J who was hiding in the bushes.

"T.J what are you doing?" Manny asked.

"Hiding."

"From who?"

"Andrea, last night she caught me trying to spy on her in the bathroom so she twisted my arm. Today I'm going to get my revenge, when she comes out of her anger management class I'm going to jump her."

"You're gonna jump a girl who takes anger management classes, is that what just came out of your mouth just now?"

"Yes I am."

"Quick question T.J do you ever wonder why fools live short lives?"

"I don't have time for riddles! Now be quiet she'll be out any minute."

"This cannot end well."

Five minutes later, Andrea came out of her classes.

"Andrea Monterio! Today vengeance will be mine!" T.J shouted.

T.J jumped from the bushes and toward her with his fists swinging.

"Three...Two...One." Manny counted. Then the air was pierced with T.J's screaming as he was mercilessly kicked and punched repeatedly by Andrea. "I warned you!"

"Rivera aren't you gonna help me?!"

"No way! I don't beat up girls also I'm not a lame brain like you!"

"You can be cold hearted you know that?"

"God be with you T.J! Hmm...This may take awhile."

Manny pulled out the book of the recently deceased that Zoe gave him and began reading. Two hours later Andrea gave T.J one last kick that sent his unconscious body flying across ten yards.

"Serves him right." Andrea huffed.

"You didn't kill him did you? Of course I wouldn't blame you if you did." Manny said.

"No. As annoying and perverted as he is I could never kill someone unless they were truly evil and besides he is kind of cute."

"Say what? Time out! You think T.J is cute? Black hair? Amber eyes? Spies on girls in the bathhouse?"

"Yes and if you ever tell him I said that I'll break every bone in your body!"

"Yes ma'am. Well I better go get him."

Manny found him lying near a dumpster. He had several bumps and bruises but nothing was broken.

"Hey T.J." Manny said poking him. "You alive or what?"

"Huh?" He said waking up. "Ow...How long I was out for?"

"500 years."

"500 years? Then you're dead."

"Right I'm not me I'm a hologram."

"Are you serious?"

"Andrea knocked you out and you've been asleep ever since. This is the world 500 years into the future."

"Then what's become of the world since I've been asleep!"

"Total chaos."

"Are you serious?!"

"Yes robots have risen up and taken over the world and made humans their slaves."

"I knew it! Oh dear Dad! My dear Mom! I'm sorry I lived my life as a disgusting pervert! I swear I shall live my life as a true shaman and swear off all lustful and impure contact with women!"

"Seriously dude?" Manny said poking him.

"Hey a hologram can't touch me! You're the real thing!"

"Actually I am a cyborg and I'm here to collect your brain for experimentation."

"What?! Don't do it Manny! Come on please! I'm sorry I groped Frida! I'll never touch her again!"

"Man you sure are gullible."

"Huh? That was a lie?"

"Duh! You're not very bright are you?"

"Hey I was half asleep not to mention I have this huge bump on my head."

"Well maybe next time you'll think twice before trying to beat up Andrea."

"No way! One day I will take her down!"

"In that case I'll try to make it to your funeral. See ya."

"Where are you going?"

"I gotta meet Frida's parents tonight for dinner."

"Good luck I hear her dad will kill any boy who looks at her."

"Then if he knew about you, you would be dead and buried by now."

"You're not gonna tell him about me are you?"

"I don't know it may come up."

"I hate you."

"I know."

Manny went by to the Suarez house at 6:00 just like she told him to. He knocked on the door and waited patiently for it to be answered. The door was opened by Carmela who gave him her best smile.

"Minus the brown hair, she could be a dead ringer for Frida." He thought.

"Hi you must be Manny." She said. "Would you like to come in?"

"Sure."

"So how long have you known Frida?"

"I don't know, three months."

"I wonder why she never told us about you."

"I can think of few guesses." He muttered.

"Emiliano! He's here!" She called gleefully.

Manny felt hot breath blow on the back of his neck. For a moment he thought an angry bull was behind him ready to ram him in the behind with his horns. But when he turned around he saw something equally as terrifying. Emiliano with his nostrils flared and his teeth glitched.

"Hello sir." Manny said.

"What's your name?"

"Manny Rivera."

"I've never heard of you! Where are you from?"

"Miracle City."

"Impossible! You're not in any medical records or school records!"

"How do you know that?"

"None of your business! I'll ask the questions here! So care to explain?"

"Well I wasn't born in a hospital and I never attended school."

"No education? If a young man wants to be with my daughter he must be well educated."

"Excuse me?"

"Dad!" Frida cried.

"What?"

"Um let's eat." Carmela suggested.

They sat down at the table to eat but Manny found it hard to enjoy the meal with Emiliano and his dogs breathing down his neck.

"So what plans do you have for my daughter?" He asked.

"Beg pardon?" Manny replied.

"Do you plan to use her for sex?!"

Manny almost choked on his meal.

"Dad!" Frida screamed in humiliation. 

"Emiliano! What my husband means is we hope you'll be a very good boyfriend to her."

"BOYFRIEND?!" Frida and Manny gasped. "I'M/HE'S NOT HER/MY BOYFRIEND!"

"You're not?"

"No he's just a guy I'm helping out." Frida said.

"In what way?" Emiliano asked skeptically.

"I...I give him money."

"Why dear?" Carmela asked.

"Because he doesn't have a good home."

"Where do you live?" She asked Manny.

"Well...here, there."

"You mean you don't have a home?"

"Not really. I used to live in the church with my mom."

"Oh is she around? I would like to meet her."

"She's gone."

"Oh I'm sorry, how did she die?"

"She's not dead, she's just gone."

"What about your father? Where's he?"

"You tell me. He left before I was born."

"I'm very sorry to hear that." Emiliano said.

"So you're all alone." Carmela said.

"I get by and I'm pretty smart. I was home schooled by the nuns."

"Have you ever considered going to live at the shelter and attending regular school?"

"No way! Have you seen those shelters? They're filthy, have no electricity or plumbing and you have to eat garbage and I can't go to school because I don't have any money."

"Oh...I see. Emiliano can I speak with you for a moment?"

She pulled him aside in the hallway.

"Emiliano I think we should help him."

"Why?"

"He comes from a broken home and you know what that's like."

"I know but...I don't trust him. He looks like he could be a punk."

"That's what my mother said about you but I knew she was wrong. Can't you do anything dear?"

He huffed. "I'll see what I can do."

After that they silently ate dinner then bid each other good night. But just as Manny was leaving he was stopped by Emiliano.

"Rivera wait!"

"Yeah?"

He handed him some money and a key.

"There's an apartment I've been saving for Frida when she moves out, you can stay there til you get on your feet. I'll pay for rent and I'm going to enroll you in Frida's school and pay for the education but you gotta go understand? Or the deal is off."

"Why are you doing this? I thought you didn't like me."

"I don't but I had a rough childhood and growing up no one gave me a chance til I meet Carmela in high school so here. But don't screw up! And don't go thinking I'm a nice guy who'll let you slide if you ever break the law because I'll your ass so fast your head will spin!"

"Yes sir and thank you sir."

"Don't mention it, seriously don't."

**Btw the Somg Frida sang was the English version of Como La Flor by Selena Quintilla Perez**


	15. Chapter 15

Miracle City fifteen years ago...

Maria Sanchez took notes carefully in her class. She had just started college a few days ago, she was an A+ student and showed up on time for every class everyday. She was studying to become a writer, she had a huge love of literature and enjoyed writing stories, reports, and news articles. She was a gifted author ready to live her dreams of writing.

"Alright class we'll pick this up next week." Her professor said.

Maria left her class and went to the library to catch up on some studying. Before reading she pulled her dark hair out of her face and up into a pony tail so it wouldn't distract her. She always did this when she studied for a test, that and she always wore her lucky gold hoop earrings that her grandfather gave her.

"Maria." She turned to see her friend Lupe sitting next to her. "There's a party tonight, wanna come?"

"No thanks."

"Maria you've been working your brain to pieces. Take some time off."

"Maybe next time."

"Maria you need to have a little fun in your life. Live a little and maybe try to find a nice guy?"

Maria sighed and continued to study. She took a break to get some water but before she started reading again she saw something out the window that caught her attention. It was a boy, he had straight black hair, a strong looking chin, and jaw line. He was wandering around the campus just looking and looking. She wondered what he was looking for or who he was. Was he a student?

She watched him until suddenly he just stopped and looked right at her. Dead in the eyes. Maria looked away, her cheeks turning bright red. When she looked back he was gone, she thought about him all day. There was something strange about his eyes. They seemed dark but not in a evil way more like a mysterious way, like he was lost and lonely. For weeks she would see him walking and wandering around. It made her very curious. Finally her curiosity got the better of her and she decided to do a little investigating.

"Excuse me!" She called after him one day.

He turned around to face her.

"I don't mean to be rude but um...I've been watching you...Well not in stalker way but-"

"I know." He said.

"Really? Did you see me?"

"No I heard you."

"Oh I tried to be quiet."

"I have good hearing."

"Anyway I was wondering are you a student?"

"No."

"A teacher?"

"No."

"Don't Tell me you're the janitor."

"I'm not."

"Then who are you?"

"I'm just someone."

"Wait so if you don't go here what are you doing on our campus?"

"Observing."

"Observing what?"

"Youth."

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-one."

"You're a little too young to consider your youth lost."

"I'm talking about normal youth. I'm not normal."

"I get it you were home schooled."

"Sort of."

"Do you have a name?"

"Rodolfo, Rodolfo Rivera."

"Nice name I'm Maria Sanchez. It's a pleasure."

"Likewise."

"Do you wanna get some coffee? My treat?"

"Sure but I'll pay."

"But it was my idea."

"Yes but you're a lady and I'm a gentleman so it's only natural that I pay."

They went to the cage on campus and bought two lattes. When they sat down, Maria pulled out a bundle wrapped in tin foil. She unwrapped it to show two yellow pastries.

"Corn cakes." She said. "They're my favorite dessert, made them myself. Wanna try?"

"Sure." He ate one. "Pretty good. Your mom's recipe?"

"No actually it's my grandpa's. My parents died in a car accident when I was five so I was raised by my grandpa. He's the only family I've ever known."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. So do you have a family?"

"Yep. A mother, a father, and two brothers."

"What are they like?"

"My mother's a saint, my oldest brother is a know it all jerk, my youngest brother is okay but he's got issues, and my father is jack ass

"Daddy issues? Don't worry it'll work out."

"Not really also I'm engaged to a crazy bitch."

"That's not a nice thing to say about your fiancé especially if you love her."

"Who said I loved her?"

"Well why else would you marry her?"

"It's an arranged marriage which I'm trying to get out of."

"Oh."

"I refuse to marry a woman I do not love. It's a fate worse than death."

"Sweet words, ever think of becoming a poet?"

"Not really."

"Well there's gonna be a poetry reading this Friday would you like to go?"

"Why are you being nice to me?"

"Because you looked like you needed a friend."

"You should know I'm not a normal."

"Well who is?"

"No not that kind of not normal I mean I'm very different from the average human. Best to avoid me."

"If that's what you want."

Next Friday Maria went to the poetry reading downtown and was surprised to see Rodolfo there. She met him after the reading.

"I thought you weren't coming."

"Can't a guy change his mind?"

He walked her home and said goodnight. She entered her dorm room to find the door already open. She looked around to see if Lupe had come back early from her date. But she wasn't around and to her horror she found her ex boyfriend Donnagan in her closet. She had broken up with him weeks ago because he was abusive and controlling.

"My God! What are you doing here?"

"It's so good to see you Maria it's been too long."

"What do you want?"

"You."

"Look Donnagan our relationship is over! Now leave before I call the cops."

He grabbed her arm roughly, she struggled to get loose.

"You can't leave me Maria! We belong together! You belong to me!"

He scooped up Maria and carried her outside into the woods.

"Let go of me! Put me down! Help!"

He pinned her to her to the ground and climbed on top of her. Maria began to struggle and cry as he licked her neck. He slapped her, pulled her hair, and choked her. She closed her eyes and prayed for God to save her.

"DAMN YOU FOOL!" A voice roared.

Someone pulled Donnagan off of her and punched him in the face. Maria opened her eyes to see a white panther with flaming green eyes mauling Donnagan. Then she passed out. When she woke up she was back in her dorm room. Had it all been a nightmare? She saw an ambulance leaving the campus.

"What happened?" She asked Lupe.

"Last night some wild animal mauled your ex boyfriend to death."

"He's dead?"

"As a door nail."

"I gotta go." She went back to her room and began to replay the events from last night in her mind. She remembered almost getting raped and seeing Donnagan get killed but she wasn't sure where that panther came from. They weren't even native to where they lived. Then she remembered hearing someone yell, it sounded like Rodolfo's voice. Once she made that connection she went to search for him. She looked all around the campus but he wasn't there.

She didn't know why but something told her to go look in the woods. She searched for a long time until she spotted a trail of blood. She followed it and she found Rodolfo lying near a tree with a gash in his arm.

"Rodolfo?" She said meekly.

"STAY AWAY!" He looked at her with eyes flaming green like the panther and fangs bared. "I'LL HURT YOU IF YOU GET TOO CLOSE."

His voice was animalistic, it was like a wild animal's roar had mixed with his human voice.

"You're hurt." She said calmly. "Please let me help you."

"NO! DON'T COME ANY CLOSER! I'LL LOOSE CONTROL AND MURDER YOU!"

She slowly walked toward him then she hugged him. Rodolfo roared, hissed, and thrashed against her but she didn't let go. Not even when he started to grow claws but after a few minutes he calmed down and reverted to his regular form. She took him back to her dorm and got the first aid kit.

"It was you last night who saved me wasn't it?" She asked tending to his wounds.

"Yep. Did I kill him?"

"Yes."

"I didn't mean to but I was so angry I just couldn't control myself."

"How did you know I was in danger."

"I heard you scream."

"You had left."

"I told you before I have good hearing."

"What exactly are you?"

Once his wounds were properly treated he took her outside back into the woods and transformed into the panther from last night. When he changed back he told her he wasn't just some random guy. He was a spirit, the spirit of the white panther who wanted to see what humans his age would do in everyday life. He told her that when Donnagan almost raped her he had never been more scared for anyone in his life.

"Now you know." He sighed. "I'm a monster, a freak of nature."

"No. Donnagan was a monster. You're a man, a man who only wanted to protect a defenseless woman."

"You're not afraid?"

"Why should I be? You didn't hurt me."

"Then can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Will you go out with me?"

She didn't hesitate, frankly he was surprised she said yes. From that moment they were always together, he showed her his spiritual world of nature, wildlife, and peace while she showed him her human world of reading, music, and cooking cakes and enchiladas. They had a very interesting relationship, Rodolfo's family was against him dating a human and his ex fiance attempted to assassinate her once. They fought as all couples do but in the end they managed to make it work becuase they were crazy about each other. 

"You're a fool brother." His older brother Santiago said to him. "Being with this human will cause great distress in the balance."

"Mind your own business." Rodolfo said.

"Excuse me for just trying to help."

"You don't need her anyway Rodolfo." His younger brother Tito said. "You have me."

"Thanks for your concern but I love her and she loves me." He said.

"Good luck then because Father is ready to talk with you." Santiago said.

Rodolfo sighed and went into Jorge's chamber.

"Do you think Rodolfo would really pick a human over us?" Tito asked.

"It wouldn't surprise me. He always had a soft spot for humans even as a child. He takes far too much after Mother."

"But he can't just ditch us for her."

"He's already done that in case you haven't noticed."

...

Maria hummed as she prepared the soup. She was cooking dinner for her and Rodolfo's date tonight to celebrate their sixth month anniversary and could hardly wait. She had just finished when there was a rapid knocking at the door, she opened it and gasped when she saw half of Rodolfo's face burnt.

"What happened?"

"My father." He panted. "We got into a fight...He lost temper...fire...so much fire."

She got an ice pack and pressed it to his forehead, she watched him break down in tears and sob bitterly.

"He called me a fool. He forbade to see you."

"I'm so sorry. He shouldn't have done that to you."

"He's a demon, what do you expect?"

"But he's your father."

"Just because he created me doesn't mean he's my father." He sniffed and wiped away his tears. He saw that Maria was crying as well. "Maria?"

"Yes?"

"Will you marry me?"

"What?"

"I love you, will you marry me?"

"Yes, yes of course."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"We can't tell anyone."

"I know."

Rodolfo lied to his family and said that he left Maria but at night he would sneak off to see her. During summer break they stayed at a house near a lake far from where his family resided and had a private ceremony for their wedding. It wasn't much but there were candles and flowers, a priest, and Maria got to wear her mother's wedding dress. They decided to spend their honeymoon there as well. Each day was filled with joy and laughter as they fell more in love than ever before. When they returned from it, they moved into an apartment, Rodolfo got a job working as a mechanic while Maria continued school. Everything seemed to be great for them until...

"Maria I'm home." He found her in the bathroom puking over a toilet. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine just a little nauseous."

"Was it something you ate?"

"Well I did eat a lot of that bear liver you left in fridge."

"That's weird. You don't even like bear liver. You don't like anything I bring home from hunts."

"Well I was hungry for it when I woke up and now I'm wishing I didn't eat it." She puked again. "I've been like this for three days."

"Three days? Shouldn't you see a doctor then?"

"Probably." Just then she realized that it had been awhile since she had her period. "Wait! Hang on for minute."

"What?"

"Can you leave for a minute?"

"Why?"

"I need to pee and test for something."

"Okay."

She didn't come out for at least an hour and when she did she ran straight to their bedroom in tears. Rodolfo raced after her.

"Oh no." She sobbed. "Oh no."

"What? What is it?"

"I'm pregnant."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"No. No that's not possible! There's no one that could've happened unless...Oh God no!"

"What?"

"Last week I forgot to change out of my physical human form when we went to bed and if a spirit or demon does that with a human it could lead to a pregnancy. This is bad! Very bad!"

"Is it really that horrible?"

"Yes and no. For one thing a half human half spirit is not supposed exist, second my family will eventually find out about this, and three you will die!"

"What?"

"Spiritual and demonic fetuses are not like a human ones. They grow at an alarming rate and they give off a powerful force which damages the mother's body. A female spirit and demon can take it but a human can't. You'll be dead even before the baby's born."

"Alright let's just stay calm. Is there a way to make it so that I won't die?"

"One option is abortion."

"I'm not killing my child!"

"I know! I don't want to either but the force from the child's intense growth will kill you before it's fully developed and once you're dead it won't be long before our child dies."

"There must be something we can do."

"Well my mother keeps a charm that she says will control the force, it may help but I'm not sure."

"We have to try. Please."

"Okay." He left to get the charm.

Sometime after he left Maria felt a sharp pain in her belly then out of no where her stomach size began to increase. The pain was unbearable, it felt like a hard stone breaking every bone in her body. She screamed and cried while clutching her belly.

"Arrghh!"

Rodolfo came through the door at her scream.

"Oh my God it started quicker than I thought!"

"Rodolfo! It hurts!"

"Hang on!" He pulled a coin with a silver chain from his pocket and put it around her ankle. To his relief and hers the growth stopped along with the pain. "Thank God."

"What happened?"

"The charm fixed it. You'll have a normal human pregnancy and birth as long as you wear that."

"Okay now that this crisis is settled what are we gonna do? I wanna keep it but do you?"

"Yes but we're gonna have to keep it a secret."

"For how long? We can't just hide it away forever."

"We'll think of something." He sighed.

So for the next few months Rodolfo and Maria tried to keep their unborn halfling child a secret. During that time Maria had a strong craving for meat and even blood, she also tended to be feral from time to time. But they were very excited about starting a family together.

"Rodolfo."

"Yes?"

"I've been thinking of names for the baby and if it's a boy I wanna name him Manuel."

"Manuel?"

"It was my grandfather's name. What do you think?"

"Hmmm...I like it but why don't we call him Manny for short?" He bent down and planted a kiss on her swollen stomach. "Little Manny."


	16. Chapter 16

Manny enjoyed his new apartment and he did attend school. He was a little behind because it had been two years since he was academically taught but he studied hard and Frida helped him out. For the next few weeks all seemed normal but forvthem something supernatural can happen any where.

"Get out!" Andrea screamed. She had caught T.J trying to peek at her while she was changing into her pajamas.

"Oh come on, I was just looking for my...watch." T.J said.

"Yeah right! Get out now!"

"Okay, okay."

He left just as she ordered and went to get a drink. As usual he found his uncle watching a wrestling match on TV and getting to into it. He cringed as he listened to his uncle shout and goad the wrestlers on.

"Come on! Body slam! Body slam!"

"Why me?" T.J thought, face palming.

He went to the fridge and pulled out a soda. He had just brought the soda can to his lips when Andrea's scream filled the house. It startled T.J so much that he spilled his soda all over his pants but he was more concerned with her.

"Andrea!" T.J called. "Is everything alright?"

When no one answers he ran upstairs to her room. The door was locked, he tried to get it open but it was no good.

"Uncle Luiz! Andrea's room is locked and I think something's wrong! Break it down!"

"I'm on it!"

Luiz bolted upstairs at full speed and broke the door down with his head. Her room was in shambles, it was like a twister had gone through but Andrea was no where to be seen. The window was wide open and there were tracks leading to the woods. Hanging on the window frame was a piece a fabric torn off from her shirt with blood on it. It wasn't a lot just a little spill like from a cut or scrape.

T.J immediately grabbed the phone and called both Manny and Frida to inform them of what happened. Frida told her parents she was staying at her grandmother's house, Sandra covered for her. The next morning they met T.J by the edge of the woods.

"Can you track her Manny?" T.J asked holding up the piece of fabric.

"Yeah." He sniffed it and then sniffed the air. "I got her scent, she's definitely in the woods and judging by these tracks and the smell, she was grabbed by a demon."

"Any idea who?" Frida asked.

"No. All I smell is her blood and demon's blood." Manny said.

"Why would a demon kidnap Andrea?" She wondered.

"Well a demon grabbed her brother so why not?" T.J said.

"Think it could be the same one?" Manny asked.

"Possibly." T.J flipped his book over to a compartment that held some stones. One of them was glowing.

"What are those?" Frida asked.

"Life stones. Last night I squeezed a drop of her blood from that fabric on to one of them. As long as this stone glows it means she's still alive."

"That's some reassurance." She said.

"We better get going." Manny said.

Manny followed Andrea's and the demon's scent with Frida and T.J close behind. Wherever this demon had taken her it was far and deep into the forest, on the dark side. Poor T.J was very worried about Andrea, he didn't know why but the thought of anything happening to her scared him out of his wits.

"Hey it's been six hours and the lecher hasn't said a word." Manny whispered to Frida. "Any ideas why?"

"His worried about Andrea." She whispered back.

"Why?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"No."

"Men, so clueless."

"What?"

"I'll tell you later."

When it got late they stopped to rest and built a fire. Manny caught fish from the river to eat for dinner and Frida brought some snacks though T.J didn't really eat. He just gazed at the fire.

"She'll be fine." Frida assured him. "Andrea knows how to take care of herself."

"That doesn't mean she doesn't need protection." He said. "I'm going for a walk."

He got up and walked off until he couldn't be seen.

"So what's his deal?" Manny asked Frida.

"He likes her doofus." She teased.

"So? I like her."

"No I mean like, like."

"Oh."

"And judging by his worried behavior I'd say he might be in love with her."

"Uh-huh, right and I'm the son of a God."

"You may not see it but it's there."

"What's there?"

"The feeling."

"What feeling?"

"Ugh! Dear lord if women never existed the population would truly die out and not just because they wouldn't be able to repopulate."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Figure it out brainiac."

T.J walked by the river. He calmly watched the water ripple and the wind blow through the trees. The hazel wood on the trees made him think of Andrea's eyes. He prayed to God that she was alright.

Suddenly the ground shook, a shout from T.J startled Manny and Frida and they hurried to help him. Holding T.J in an intense metal grip was a demon. He was hideous, probably the ugliest creature ever made in creation probably uglier than Satan himself. He had blackened teeth, bloodshot eyes, dirty fingernails, and a scalping head. Yet despite his repulsive appearance he had incredible strength and was using to try and kill T.J.

"Leave him alone!" Manny clawed the demon's arm, but it just regrew and turned into a cage which he used to trap the three teens inside. "Who are you?! And what do you want?!"

"Manny Rivera so finally we meet." He said.

"Um how do you know me?"

"I suppose your mother never mentioned me but I'm your uncle."

"Santiago?"

"No! Not my perfect older brother, I'm Tito. Your father's younger brother!"

"Huh? Mom never told me much about you in fact I think she only spoke of you once."

"Typical. Maria never did like me."

"What do you know about my mother?"

"I know much more than that! I know almost everything about all three of you."

"Stalker much." T.J whispered.

"Now face the wrath of the titanium demon!"

"Titanium? Wouldn't you be an animal?" Frida asked.

"Yes I was once and I didn't always look like this! It's his fault!" He said pointing toward Manny.

"Me? I don't even know you! How is it my fault?" Manny said.

"It all goes back to before you were born. Rodolfo and I were close, close as two brothers could be. But then he met your mother and after that he spent all his time with her, when I found out she and Rodolfo had married and that she was now pregnant, your father told me he was going to try to become human so he could be there for his precious human family but that would mean he couldn't be with us anymore his real family. So I exposed their marriage and your existence! But when you were born I suffered a terrible curse that mutated me into a monster."

"That's not true." T.J objected. "In my father's book it says you were so jealous and desperate to destroy Maria and Manny that you decided to try and erase them from existence but to obtain the spell you had to get involved with a certain young pretty fury."

"Silence!"

"Turned out her spell was a fake but she had already contaminated your blood with her toxic D.N.A turning you into the monster you are now."

"Enough! I wanted my brother back!"

"Yeah but at what price?"

"Will you shut up already?! Anyway I captured you brats because one of you I want dead and the other I need alive."

"Which is which?" Frida asked.

"Glad you asked. As you may know I plan to kill my nephew to get revenge!"

"I didn't do anything to you psycho!" Manny shouted.

"You messed up your own life. Next time be more careful with your partners." Frida said.

Tito turned toward Frida and grinned at her.

"Next time my partner shall be the most beautiful. She who I have watched blossom like a delicate flower."

"Eww! Gross! Watch yourself delicate flowers might have thorns!" Frida hissed.

"Insolent child!" He shouted. "I should remove your mouth!"

"What do you need Frida for?" Manny asked.

"To undo what that fury did to me. I need to be joined with a woman a purity and innocence."

"Frida? Pure? Innocent?" Manny and T.J burst into a fit of laughter. "Oh that's a good one! Ha! Ha!"

One hour later... still laughing.

"Do they always do this?" Tito asked Frida.

"This is nothing you should see them when Andrea says she's ladylike."

"Alright! Enough of this! I'm not talking about her personality! I mean her blood!"

"My blood?"

"She has angelic blood which is the only thing that can cleanse mine."

"Fat chance of that happening ugly!"

"Ugh! If I didn't need you to cure myself I'd kill you right now! But at the moment it's my pesky nephew I want dead!"

"No way!" Manny transformed and sliced through his metal arms. He and Tito fought brutally hard. Frida shot a few arrows which burned his body pretty good. T.J roped him up and Manny prepared for the killing blow.

"Wait! You don't wanna kill me."

"Oh really I don't? And pray tell why not?" Manny asked.

"Because you'll never find Andrea if you do."

"Where is she?!" T.J demanded. "If you've hurt her-"

"Me? Oh no. I've done nothing to the girl it was that other demon what was his name again? Sergio I believe."

"Why does he have her?"

"Bait for you shaman."

"Where are they?"

"Sorry I'm afraid I missed that part."

"You tell us where they are! Or I'll kill you!" Manny said.

"Now Manny you wouldn't really kill me? I'm your uncle, we're family. And as I said I don't know where they are."

"Call me crazy but I believe him." T.J said.

"Thank you and as for you dear nephew I'd keep a close eye on that girl of yours. After all you wouldn't want her to suffer the same fate as your beloved Zoe would you?"

"Zoe? What are you talking about?"

"Oh yes poor girl. I thought she was the one but she was half demon and her heart had become dark from pain and anger so naturally her blood was no good meaning she was of no use to me."

"Did you kill her?"

"No. Almost did but she escaped however she was badly damaged."

"What you do to her...What did you do to her?! You bastard!"

Tito turned to metal ooze and slipped out of the rope then took his regular form.

"Watch your back Manny because one way or another I will kill you. Until then Hasta la vista."

Then he vanished.

"Are you okay?" Frida asked Manny.

"Zoe...My God...Why her? Why?"

"I'm sorry but at least she got away."

"Yeah but God knows what scars he left on her."

"That aside we now know who took Andrea and why." T.J said.

"And we will find her." Frida swore. "And...If you want Manny we can check up on Zoe. To make sure she's okay."

"Really? You don't mind?"

"I don't like her but I know she means a lot you and you mean a lot to her."

"Thanks. That means a lot."


	17. Chapter 17

Manny tried to keep up with Andrea's scent best he could. They searched for another whole day but still they couldn't find Andrea. By nightfall it was raining cats and dogs in the woods. The wind was blowing, rain was pouring down, and lightning was striking.

"This sucks." T.J said. "We need to find a place to stay for the night."

"Where exactly?" Manny asked. "We're in the middle of the woods ten miles from civilization!"

"Anybody know how to build a makeshift shelter?" Frida asked.

"I got a better idea." T.J said. "Look!"

He pointed toward a light in the distance. They followed it, it was a lantern attached to a local inn.

"What luck." T.J said.

He knocked on the door. It was answered by a woman.

"Goodness me!" She gasped. "Come in out of this wretched rain."

"Thanks." Manny said.

She led them into a room.

"Wait here while I get my husband and my son."

The three teenagers sat in the room, they noticed there were a lot of potted plants in the room. They were miniature avocado trees. An hour later a man and a kid returned.

"Hello I am Dr. Chipotle and this is my son Dr. Chipotle Jr."

"Can we get you anything?" His son asked. "Food? Drink?."

"I'm good." Manny said.

"No thanks." Frida said.

"I could eat." T.J said.

"I'll get you something." The father said.

"We also have plenty of hot water for a bath." The mother said.

"I could use a bath." Frida said.

"What about you gentlemen?"

"No thanks." Manny said.

"That depends, will she and I be bathing in the same room?"

SMACK!

"Ow!"

"Absolutely not!" Frida declared.

"I'll keep an eye on him." Manny said.

"Follow me young lady."

Frida followed the woman upstairs to the bathroom where a hot bath was started. Dr. Chipotle brought the boys some guacamole."

"Uh thank." T.J said. "But I don't like avocados, do you have anything else."

"Not at the moment. Excuse me but I must now tend to our plants." He then left.

"Call me crazy but something about these people seems off." Manny said.

"Are they demons?"

"No they're human but something doesn't smell right. Hey where are you going?"

"To see if there's anything non avocado to eat in this joint. Wanna help?"

"Sure I guess could eat."

"Okay you go left and I'll go right."

Manny did has T.J suggested. He found the kitchen and began checking the cuboards for food all he found were avocados and jars of guacamole.

"All this guacamole and no chips, what a let down."

He found some chili peppers hanging around and decided to take those.

"Hey T.J I found some peppers. You got any allergies to those?"

He spotted T.J trying to sneak his way up stairs, Manny grabbed him by his shirt collar.

"And just where do you think you're going?"

"I...I...I was just going to ask Frida if she wanted a little snack."

"Yeah sure you were, brought you some peppers now turn around and keep walking."

"Hmm...Red chili. I'm gonna need some water. Hope they have a fridge."

T.J went to look in the kitchen. While he was gone Manny sat down and began reading some magazines but they were all recipe magazines on how to make dip. After awhile he got bored and began to look around.

"Help!" He heard someone shout. It was faint but Manny's animal hearing allowed him to hear it. It was coming from a door which was locked. He picked it with his claws and opened the door to find a stairway leading down. He went down stairs into a lab. There were vials and test tubes filled with a bubbling green liquid. On a desk with newspaper articles.

"Famous Chipotle scientists arrested for illegal experimenting on plants." He read. Manny found another article. "Dr. Chipotle found guilty of illegal experimentation on plants sentenced to three years in prison. Ten year old Dr. Chipotle Jr. found guilty of illegal experimentation on plants and murder sentenced to juvenile prison until age twenty-one. Psychologist suggest psychopathic behavior after learning of his countless murders by feeding humans to his mutated plants. What the hell?"

He found one more article.

"Dr. Chipotle freed from jail after serving three year sentence two days later Dr. Chipolte Jr. escapes juvenile prison at age thirteen. Both disappear from town, Police suspect his father helped him escape. Oh my God! T.J! Frida! We gotta get out of here!"

"Hello? Is someone there?" A voice called. "Help me! Don't leave me here!"

Manny followed the voice to a locked steel door. Manny picked the lock and found a man chained up to a wall.

"Oh thank God! Praise heaven!" He shouted. "Help me! Please help me!"

"Who are you?"

"I'm Mr. Monadavaries. This was my inn, my wife and I worked here but then about a month ago those two maniacs came here with their evil plants and experiments. They planted these mutated avocado trees and made guacamole that makes anyone who consumes it their slaves! They forced my wife to eat it but I had an extreme allergy to avocados so they keep me chained up and force me to tend to those damn trees! If I refuse they'll feed me and my wife to their monster!"

"What monster?"

"They're building a monster out of that mutated guacamole but it needs human flesh and blood to thrive. So they lure travelers here and feed them to it. For weeks I've watched innocent people be eaten alive by that monster of theirs and it's the most horrific thing I've ever seen! They're insane! They're inhuman! You gotta help us! Please!"

"Okay I'm gonna get you out of here. Hold on." He freed him with his claws. "Okay now find your wife and get out of here."

"God bless you!"

He raced upstairs and was gone. Suddenly Manny felt something hit hard him in the back of the head which knocked him out.

...

"Ah, nothing like a hot bath to make you feel like a new woman." Frida said. She stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel and went into the guest room where she was staying. "Hey where are my clothes? And my bag? I left them right here."

She looked around the room but they were gone.

"T.J!" She groaned. "If this is an attempt to see me naked you've got another thing coming! Give me back my clothes!"

No response.

"T.J? Manny? Guys?" Still no answer. "Something's wrong. I better find them but I can't go out like this."

She searched the guest room for any type of clothing but all she found were shears, pins, thread, needles, rope, some old bills, and a used tooth brush.

"Well if I can't find clothes I guess I'll have to make some." Her grandmother had taught her how to sew a little bit so she could pull it off. The sheets on the guest bed were white but not see through so they would do. She pulled the sheets off the bed cut and snipped some parts off with the shears. Stitched up a few ends with the needle and thread, and tied and pinned two ends over her shoulder to hold it up. It sort of looked like a dress.

"Not designer but it will do." She said.

She left the room and began searching for T.J and Manny. She noticed that it was very quiet, too quiet and if she remembered every horror movie she had seen correctly whenever it was too quiet it meant something bad was about to happen. She heard footsteps and hid in a closet.

"Where is she?" It sounded like Dr. Chipolte.

"I don't know. She wasn't in the bathroom or the guest room." It sounded like his son.

"My monster will be very displeased."

"Wait! I got her bag!"

"Yeah but all she had is her clothes, some snacks, and a bow and arrows nothing useful for the monster. Find her!"

When they were gone Frida tiptoed back to the guest room and grabbed the shears. She then carefully and quietly began searching for her friends. When Manny woke up he was chained to the wall in his human form with no shirt or shoes just his jeans which were slightly tattered.

"Oh my head." He groaned. "Wha...What happened?"

"So you're awake."

He looked to see Dr. Chipotle Jr. standing in front of him.

"What did he tell you?"

"Who?"

"Mr. Manadavaries, how much did he tell you?"

"Enough to know that you're a deranged psychopath."

"I am not a psychopath! I'm a genius!"

"You feed humans to a monster! It's disgusting, inhuman, and evil!"

"So are clowns but for some reason they're still popular."

"Well I'm gonna mess you up big time." He tried to transform but nothing. "Huh? What's going on? What did you do to me?"

"I figured you were a halfbreed so while you were unconscious I injected you with a very special drug that keeps you human for at least eight hours."

"Oh shit."

"I see you went through my newspapers. You may think that I'm a monster but you're wrong mankind are the monsters. You see I was born an extraordinary intelligent and cultured child which impressed adults but not so much children. No one wanted to be my friend, they all just made fun of me so I decided to make my own friends. My father was a scientist working on an experiment to make vegetables last longer but it got mixed with some human blood samples giving them human personality. That's when he and I began our experiments to make humans out of guacamole unfortunately they never lasted more then a day until one day I had dropped a beaker and cut my finger on the broken glass. My monster craved my blood and that's when I learned it need human blood and flesh to survive. So I began my feeding it people who wronged me, my first victim was my principle who expelled me for trying to blow up Jose Martinez."

"Dude you are totally psychotic!"

"I am not! Anyway eventually the law caught up with father and me so we-"

"I know the rest man I read the paper."

"Then I guess you know what happens next."

"What?"

"Well while you were out I examined you to see if you were in good health. I can't feed sick people to my monster and I found you were more than just healthy, you're strong and powerful perfect for my monster."

"Oh great! I'm gonna be food."

Dr. Chipolte Jr. threw a bag and a book on the floor. Manny recognized them as Frida's bag and T.J's book.

"T.J! Frida! Where are they? Where are my friends?"

"The other boy will serve as a slave for my trees that is if I get him to eat my guacamole, as for the girl well she's such a young and pretty thing. It's been so long since my monster has had a sweet dessert with his meal."

Anger seethed through Manny's veins. He began trying to lunge for him but the chains held him back.

"Where's Frida?! What did you do to her?!"

"My aren't we angry, why the concern over one girl?"

"Where's Frida?! If you've harmed so much as one hair on her head I'll kill you! Do you hear me?! I'll kill you!"

"Oh now I see. The look in your in eyes says it all, you're in love with that girl. How touching, maybe I let you see her body one last time before I feed it to my monster."

"You filthy son of bitch!" Manny punched him right across his face making his nose bleed. The psychotic boy almost looked afraid when he saw Manny jerking and trying charge toward him like some wild animal. Then the chains broke and part of it hit Dr. Chipotle Jr. in the face knocking him out. Manny panted hard for a couple if seconds before going back upstairs.

"What on earth was that?" Frida thought when she heard a loud boom from the basement. She heard the sound of someone running upstairs. She gripped the shears nervously but to her relief it was Manny.

"Frida!"

"Manny?"

"You're alive." He breathed. "Are you alright? Did he touch you? Did he hurt you? If he did he's a dead man!"

"No I'm fine and who are you talking about?"

"Not important I'm just glad you're okay and why are you wearing a bedsheet?"

"Why are you just wearing pants?"

"Touché. Look we gotta get out of here. Where's T.J?

"I don't know."

"I'm over here!"

They went to kitchen and found T.J tied to a chair.

"What happened to you?" Manny asked.

"That doctor and his creepy son jumped me and tied me to this chair where they tried to force feed me guacamole."

"Did you eat any?" Manny asked.

"No I just spit it in their faces."

They untied him.

"Let's get out of here!"

"Wait my book!"

"I got it and Frida's bag now let's go!"

They ran out of the inn and didn't stop til they were far from it.

"Phew! And I thought the bates motel was a scary place to stay." Manny panted. "Here are your clothes Frida."

"Thanks, I'm gonna go change."

"Let me help you." T.J said.

"Oh no you don't." Manny said.


	18. Chapter 18

The three friends continued walking into the woods until they reached a large temple.

"This place reeks of bull hide." Manny said pinching his nose. "Sergio is definitely here."

"Can you smell Andrea?" T.J said.

"Yeah. Her scent is weak but it's in there."

They entered the temple. As they looked for Andrea they made sure to keep quiet because the last thing they needed was to expose themselves. The temple looked completely empty and they didn't see anything or anyone around.

"Man why is everything way more creepy when it's quiet?" T.J asked.

"I know right. I've seen it in every movie." Manny said. "Sniff! I got something!"

They went followed Manny who went down a dark stairway.

"Okay guys be careful they're aren't any lights on so we might trip." Manny warned.

But the warning came too late and well...

T.J tripped and fell on Manny while Frida came tumbling after them. All three them were rolling down the stairs.

"Ow! Oof! Eee! Ahh! Ouch! Aye!" They cried falling down and they didn't stop til they reached what appeared to be a jail cell.

"What part of be careful did you two not hear?" Manny asked annoyed.

"Sorry." T.J and Frida said.

They got up and looked to see Andrea lying in the cell unconscious and chained to a wall.

"Andrea!" T.J gasped.

Manny picked the door lock with his claws then went to pick the locks on her chains while T.J and Frida tried to wake her.

"Andrea? Are you alright?" Frida asked.

"Say something! Andrea!" T.J called.

Once her chains were unlocked she started to wake up. The first thing she did was lunge for T.J's throat and began strangling him.

"Andrea! Stop!" Frida said trying to pull her off.

"It's us!" Manny said. "Snap out of it!"

Frida spotted a bowl of water that had been left for the prisoners to drink. Frida grabbed it and threw water in Andrea's face. She blinked and when she realized what she was doing she released T.J.

"Guys? Oh my God I'm so sorry." She said.

"Dear Lord!" T.J coughed. "Why is it that every time I get around you, you hurt me?"

"I'm sorry. I thought you were Sergio."

"What did he do to you?" Frida asked looking at her bruised body.

"That filthy pig wanted me to sleep with him. When I refused he beat me senseless."

"That son of bitch!" T.J said. "He'll pay for this!"

"Let's get out of here." Manny said.

Manny and T.J helped Andrea up and the four friends tried to make an escape. They climbed back up the stairs this time being more careful and went to the door. They were halfway there when it closed on them.

"Oh crap." Manny mumbled.

"My plan worked!" A voice gloated. They watched as Sergio approached them looking smug. "I knew you'd come for her."

"What do you want Sergio?" Manny asked.

"The book! Give it to me!"

"Not gonna happen!" T.J snapped. "My father died to make sure it wouldn't end up in the hands of monsters like you! I intend to make sure his death wasn't in vain!"

"Then I'll take it from you! Attack!"

Out of no where demonic horses and bulls came charging toward them.

"Andrea rest here." Frida said.

Then she, Manny, and T.J began fighting them off. They were all instantly killed by Manny's claws and Frida's arrows. T.J chose to protect Andrea and the book. Sergio was very angry to see his animal minions so easily defeated by a human and a half human. How is that they were so much stronger than his demonic pets?

"Let see how ya varmits do against me!"

He changed into a horrible bull like monster and tried to kill them. But they moved out of the way causing him to keep hitting the sides of the building. He changed back into his demon form and snatched the book from T.J.

"Give that back!" He demanded.

He threw dust in Sergio's blinding him. He dropped the book and T.J caught it. He then ran with the crazy demon chasing him.

"T.J! I'm open!" Manny called.

"Go long!" He said throwing it to him.

Manny caught it and ran at great speed. Sergio was unable to catch up with Manny so he cut off his way but shooting down rubble to block his path. He then knocked Manny against the wall causing him to black out briefly. Just as Sergio was about to grab the book Frida shot an arrow at him, then took the book and ran into the other room.

"Get back here you!"

He chased after her and her being a human she wasn't able to run as fast as he could.

"Manny wake up! Come on! No sleeping!" T.J said shaking him.

"Huh? What? What's goning on?" He asked waking up.

"Frida got the book and Sergio's trailing her!"

Hearing this he got up and went after them with T.J and Andrea following. Poor Frida wasn't sure if she could keep running any longer but her only other option was death so she kept on running until she reached a dead end wall.

"Uh-oh! Now what?" She squeaked. 

"Well, well." Sergio gloated. "No where to run and no where to hide. Might as well hand over the book."

"No way!"

Frida attempted to climb up the wall that blocked her. Sergio angrily shot up at the ceiling again and it collapsed. Frida screamed, by the time her friends arrived all they saw was Sergio standing next to a pile of rumble and Frida no where in sight.

"Fr-Frida?" Manny called nervously approaching the rumble. Then his eyes saw the small puddle of blood that spilled from it.

"Oh my God!" Andrea gasped in horror.

"You...You killed her?" Manny said in a shaken voice.

"It's not my fault! She should've stopped!" Sergio defended.

"You killed her. You killed her." He kept repeating. "You killed her."

"Manny are you-" T.J started.

"YOU KILLED HER!" He roared. Manny faced Sergio with glowing green eyes that held slits. Green fire began to surround his body as he seemed to be turning into some kind of fiery tiger humanoid. T.J and Andrea quickly stood back and watched as he charged at Sergio, tearing and clawing at him. He broke through his armor and scratched his skin causing it to bleed black blood. He wasn't Manny anymore he was an animal, a beast.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Sergio cried pitifully like some pathetic weakling.

Manny probably would have killed him if it had not been for...

"Manny stop!" Frida cried. She had crawled out of the rumble with a bleeding arm and a few bruises but otherwise she was alright. When Manny still didn't stop mauling him she ran to his side and threw her arms around him. "Manny I'm okay! He didn't kill me! I'm okay! I'm okay!"

His claws slowly stopped and he started to clam down. When his flaming green eyes looked at her fearful face he instantly reverted to his original form and passed out.

"Is he okay?" Frida asked.

T.J put his head to Manny's chest.

"Is he fine. He just wore himself out."

T.J lifted Manny onto his back and carried him out of the temple with Frida and Andrea following, leaving Sergio defeated and utterly petrified. When the group found a place to rest Frida tore part of her dress and used it to bandage her arm. A little trick she picked up from her grandma. It was an hour before Manny finally woke up.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Dude what they hell was that?" T.J asked.

"What?"

"You. You went ballistic. You weren't even you anymore and it was insane."

"I don't know. Last thing I remember was being in the dark and hearing Frida- Frida! Oh my God! She's-"

"I'm right here." She said. "All that rumble did was mess up my arm. But are you okay?"

"I think so but I don't know what that was."

"T.J here's your book." Frida said handing it to him. "It better have been worth it."

"Do you think it might be able to explain what just happened to me?" Manny asked.

"Let me see." He flipped through the pages of the book for something but he couldn't find a thing. "There's nothing in here. But if I had to make a wild guess you were almost a full spirit."

"A full spirit?" Manny asked. "That's impossible. For as long as I can remember I was told two things. One that I can never become a full spirit and two that I can never repopulate."

"Well I don't know what I saw but you were changed into some type of spiritual being."

"Can we talk about this another time?" Andrea asked. "I'm exhausted."

"Me too." Frida said.

"Me three." Manny said. "Let's get some sleep."

With that decided they all fell asleep. Meanwhile underground in the firey depths of Hell a meeting was being called between the panther spirit and the lion spirit.

"Santiago." The panther spirit said.

"Rodolfo." The lion spirit said.

"It's been a long time brother. Fifteen years of I'm not mistaken."

"Did you call this meeting?"

"No Father did. But I do have a bone to pick with you."

"What have I done to upset you this time."

"Not you exactly, my helmet was stolen."

"What? You think I took it? You know I took an oath never to steal your powers."

"But our children didn't."

"You think my son did it?"

"Well it's typical behavior for a half human."

"How dare you!"

"Alright you two don't start!" Jorge said. "We've got bigger things to worry about."

"Like what?" Santiago asked.

"Tito has been released."

"What? How?"

"I don't know but he's free and roaming on Earth."

"What should we do?" Rodolfo asked.

"Find him and lock him up before he does any damage. We all know how unstable your brother is."

"He should have never gotten involved with that fury." Santiago said.

"Well that aside we better find him before he gains his full power because if he does then there's no place on heaven or earth that is safe for any human."


	19. Chapter 19

"Okay then you add the baking soda and the mentos." Frida demonstrated for Manny in the kitchen of his apartment. "A little vinegar and hot sauce, then pour in some coke, seal the lid on as quick as possible and voila you have your very own soda bomb."

"Cool so what do I do with it?"

"Follow me." She took him to the edge of his apartment, shook up the little round bottle, and threw it toward her vice principal. When it hit the ground the bottle burst open and squirted it's liquid all over him.

"Ugh!" He shouted.

Manny and Frida burst out laughing at his humiliation then went to watch a movie. But they're time was interrupted by a mist entering and it took the form of Nicholas.

"Nicholas what are you doing here?" Manny asked.

"I need to speak you to you."

"Well then start talking."

"I don't feel comfortable speaking about such matters in front of this human girl."

"Hey!" Frida said insulted.

"Dude just say it!" Manny said.

"Fine I did something wrong."

"Really? Mr. Perfect messed up?" He snickered.

"Shut up!"

"Okay what was it?"

"I...Accidentally released Tito."

"You what!"

"It was an accident. I went to him for questions and well...He cut me and used my blood to open the cell."

"Dude you didn't just mess up you messed up big time."

"Anyway I...I need one of your human girl's arrows."

Before any of them could say anything he used his heightened senses to find her bow and arrows which were in her bag and took them.

"Hey! Give those back!" Frida demanded.

Ignoring her, he left at great speed. Manny quickly transformed into his spirit form, put Frida on his back and chased after him. Being half human he wasn't as fast as his cousin but he could keep up with him and follow his scent. Nicholas had fled to a secluded area outside of town where Davi and Lilith were waiting.

"Hello Nicholas." Lilith greeted. "Did it go well?"

"I got what I was looking for." He said holding up Frida's weapon.

"Are you sure that will defeat your uncle milord?" Davi asked.

"My uncle is a corrupted demon meaning he can only killed by something holy or of Christ. These arrows were craved from a tree blessed by a priest so if they were fired at him he would feel immense pain."

"But can you use it?" Lilith asked.

"Of course I can. Archery was a major that Father insisted I learn." He grabbed one of the arrows and attempted to shoot them with the bow but every time he did he kept missing his aim. "What's wrong with this stupid thing? It won't hit where I'm aiming."

"That's because I'm the only one who can use them genius!" Frida said as she and Manny arrived.

"How did you two find me?" He asked.

"Hey moron! I maybe half human but I'm also half spirit!" Manny said.

"Give me that!" Frida said jerking her weapon from him.

"Hmm...How is it that only you, a common human girl can use that?" Nicholas quizzed suspiciously.

"Um...I guess I'm special." She said.

"Well if that's the case then I'll have to find another way to defeat Uncle Tito."

"Why don't you just ask them to help you?" Lilith suggested.

"Don't be ridiculous Lilith." Nicholas sneered. "Me rely on the help of my halfling cousin and his human girlfriend. Out of the question,"

"She's not my girlfriend!" Manny shouted.

"I'm not his girlfriend!" Frida cried.

"Well whatever she is to you. I would rather suffer my father's wrath than rely on you two."

"Fine by us!" Manny said. "Come on Frida let's get out of here."

"Um Nicholas?" Davi said.

"What?!"

"With all due respect. Your spiritual powers alone won't be enough for Tito. Maybe you should consider asking for their assistance?"

PUNCH!

"On second thought do what you feel is right." Davi groand.

"Oh come on Nicholas you can't be that prideful." Lilith argued. "And besides it's just a one time thing."

"Ugh! I know I'm going to regret this but...Manny can you and your friend help me with my problem?" Nicholas asked.

"What's in it for us?" Manny asked.

"How about no crazy demonic uncle trying to kill you? Because let's face it I'm not the one he has a grudge against."

"Okay you have a point. So what's the plan?"

"Uncle will be attending a little gathering tonight."

"What kind?"

"Nothing important just a bunch of demons and spirits gathering to drink. Anyway the plan is we attend, wait for him to get drunk, and then we strike."

"Sounds easy to me." Manny said.

"There's just one teeney, weeney, yet ever so crucial, tiny detail that stands in our way."

"What's that?"

"No humans or half humans allowed."

"Great so how are Frida and I going to get in?"

"Well you could probably pass as full fledged spirit but your friend could never pass as a spirit or demon."

"Why not?" She asked.

"Well look at you, look at your clothes and your smell. You basically reek of human. You have no fur, claws, feathers, wings, scales, fins, nothing animal related and what is this?" He said grabbing some of her hair. "What kind of fur is this?"

"It's my hair you idiot!" She said jerking it away.

"I suppose with proper clothes you could look like one of them and some special perfume could mask that revolting human smell."

"Hey!"

"Lilith get her ready."

"Okay. Follow me."

The fourteen year old girl led Frida to her camp and began sorting through a chest of clothes Nicholas had given her.

"So why do you stay with that guy?" Frida asked.

"Well his dad assigned him to protect and watch over me. Being with him isn't so bad. Actually he's a lot nicer than he let's on." Lilith said. "Now let's see what we can find for you."

In a couple minutes Lilith found suitable clothes for her to wear and sprayed some spiritual perfume on her.

"There we go."

"I feel ridiculous." Frida looked into a mirror. "Oh God I look ridiculous too."

"Nonsense you look great."

"Hey! You girls done in there?" Manny asked impatiently.

Frida huffed, Manny prepared himself for how silly she might look. Then stepped out. She wore a short sleeved red top, a red skirt, blue gloves, blue boots, a blue mask around her eyes, and on her back was a pair of blue butterfly wings. She was actually very pretty.

"Not one word about how ridiculous I look Manny." She said.

"Uh...I...I...I think we should go. Keep your arrows close Frida."

"Gotcha."

Manny spun his belt and transformed then Nicholas took them to a local bar where spirits and demons were meeting to just sit back, drink, and party. This was clearly one of those places where everyone was familiar with who went because when Manny and Frida walked in lots of them began staring at them and whispering.

"Who's are the two new guys with Nicholas?" One asked.

"I think they're spirits." Another said.

"They're kind of funny looking."

"Speak for yourself." A spirit girl said. "I think the new boy is cute."

"Me too." A demon girl said.

"Yoo-hoo!" They called over to Manny. They giggled and blew him kisses which made him blush. Frida rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"If he's with Nicholas then he must be cool." A demon boy said.

"He is handsome." An older spirit said. "And that girl, isn't she beautiful."

"Just adorable darling." His wife agreed.

"What a piece of work." A demon boy said.

"A real looker." Another said.

"Ahem!" His girlfriend coughed. "What was that Marcel?"

"Nothing dear." He corrected.

"I can't believe these fools actually think you're spirits." Nicholas whispered. He led them to a table. "Now you two wait here, don't talk to anyone, don't make any eye contact, and whatever you do don't drink anything from here. The beverages here have a nasty effect on humans."

After that he got up and walked away leaving them to just sit and wait.

"This place is weird." Frida said.

"The people here are weird." Manny said. "Look that guy has three eyes."

"Cool." Frida said. "Hey look that guy doesn't even have eyes."

"Really? How can he see?"

"Maybe he relies on his hearing."

"Excuse me." A demon approached them. He was young had red skin, black hair, and fangs. "But are you new here?" He asked Frida.

"Um...Yes." She said avoiding eye contact.

"Can I buy you a drink?"

"No thanks."

"So what do you say you and me ditch this crowd?"

"What do you say we don't and you get a mint because your breath stinks." 

"Oooh. I like a woman with a little fire." He took her hand and kissed it then started kissing up her arm.

"Hey back off buddy she's with me." Manny said pulling her away from him.

The guy just threw his drink in his face.

"Hey!" He coughed.

Manny spotted a very large and scary looking spirit. He grabbed someone's random drink and threw it at him. The spirit turned around and faced him menacingly.

"He did it!" Manny said pointing to the demon.

The spirit grabbed him and took him into the bathroom to beat him up.

"You know I don't need rescuing." Frida said.

"I know but nobody throws their drink in my face and gets away with it." Manny said.

"More!" They heard a familiar voice called. The two looked in the direction of where it came from and saw Tito at the bar drinking as much as he could. A few steps from him was Nicholas who was giving them the signal that Tito was drunk. Frida quickly pulled out her bow and arrow and made an aim at his head. Without any hesitation she fired but Tito quickly turned around and caught it.

"WHO SHOT THAT?!" He demanded.

All partying stopped at his angry voice. Frida quickly hid her weapons before anyone could see and Manny hid so that his uncle wouldn't recognize him. Everyone became quiet and didn't say anything. Tito sniffed the air.

"I smell human." He said. Frida froze. "It's faint but it's there. There's a human in here."

Everyone began whispering to and sniffing each other to find out who the human was. Frida carefully and quietly began to make her way toward the exit when Tito grabbed her by her arm.

"Hmmm...You look familiar." He said. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

"Uh no. No I don't think so." She lied.

"What kind of spirit are you?"

"Oh well I'm...I'm a...a." She looked at her wings. "I'm a butterfly spirit."

"Never heard of you."

"I don't get out much."

He sniffed her, she hoped that he didn't smell her scent through the perfume.

"Okay." He let go of her arm. She breathed a sigh of relief and started to walk away. "Except for this."

In a flash he tore off her fake wings and mask, exposing her as a human to everyone.

"A human!" A demon gasped.

"How did she get in here?!"

"Humans aren't allowed!"

"And she's not just any human." Tito said. "She's my nephew's little friend."

Thinking fast Manny grabbed a bottle and smashed it over a demon's head.

"Riot everyone!" He shouted.

All too soon a riot broke out in the bar. In the middle of the ruckus Manny grabbed Frida and pulled her out of the bar.

"Phew! That was close!" Manny breathed.

"You idiot!" Nicholas scolded. "How could you miss?"

"She didn't miss he sensed it coming!" Manny defended. "You said he was drunk! He senses shouldn't be working if he's drunk!"

"He was!"

"Actually I wasn't." Tito chuckled as he walked out of the bar. "Well, well, if it isn't my two favorite nephews. I figured Nicholas would try to kill me in my drunken state so I faked it of course I never imagined he'd go to you two for help."

"Stop acting so smug Uncle." Nicholas said. "I could kill you with one swipe if I wanted to."

"Then what's stopping you now? Hmm? You're so pathetic and weak just like your mother."

At that very moment Nicholas transformed into a jaguar and lunged for Tito. He mauled Tito and tore him apart with his fangs. Manny and Frida could only watch in horror as Tito's body became shredded but then metal ooze came from his severed body parts and glued back together.

"Was that your best shot? Now let me show you mine." He turned his hands into a blade and jabbed it deep into Nicholas's side. He hissed in pain and was thrown into concrete wall.

"You know I would kill you but you're the one who let me out so I'll let you live this time." He gloated. "And Manny don't think I'm holding out on doing you any harm because I have something special for you."

"Bring it!" Manny growled.

"Oh no not now. Something like this takes time, come visit me sometime if you wanna see it."

"And why would I do that?"

"Because I have someone there who's just dying to see you. Recognize this." He threw a black feather at Many's feet. He picked it up and sniffed it, this feather came from Zoe's wings.

"Where's Zoe?! What did you do to her?!" He demanded. "If you've hurt her-"

"She's fine for now. Come by tomorrow night that is if you don't want any harm to come to her."

"You leave Zoe alone! She's never done anything to you!"

"How interesting that now you care about her. When a year ago you abandoned her because you were afraid of falling in love though I can't blame you. Love is weak."

"SHUT UP! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU!" Manny jumped up a strike him but he vanished without a trace. "DAMN! I swear to you Tito if you hurt Zoe I'll-"

"Manny are you okay?" Frida asked.

"Why? Why did I leave Zoe? Why couldn't I just try to be friends with her instead of leaving her?"

Frida felt a pain in her heart. She had never seen Manny care about anyone like this except his mother. Did he love Zoe? And if he did why did it make her feel bad.

"Manny...I...We'll get her back." She reassured him with a smile. "I promise."

"Thanks." He said hugging her.

Her face was happy and held support her heart was sad and very unsure.


	20. Chapter 20

Tito was basically evil incarnate. While his father and other demons were merely mischievous and troublesome yet they held love for their families. He felt no mercy, no remorse, no love, he had no heart literally. He got rid of it a long time ago because it made him feel emotion which made him think he was weak.

"Ahh! Damn cigarette!" He shouted after burning himself.

"What's the matter Tito?" Zoe teased from her jail cell. "Did you hurt yourself? Want me to kiss it better?"

"Shut up you little wench!"

"Or what? You'll kill me? Like I'm afraid of you!"

"Maybe not me. But I know what you are afraid of."

"Your breath?"

"No! You're afraid of being weak!"

"I'm not afraid of anything."

"Oh yes you are. You're afraid of being weak because you're half human. Not being good enough for anyone, your mother, Manny. I know you love him but he doesn't love you."

"Stop it!"

"You want to become a full fledged demon so you can get rid of your heart and not feel like I did."

"You don't know anything about me!"

"I do know that I can see to it that you won't feel anything anymore." In his hand he held a small black mirror.

"What is that?"

"It's a demons mirror. When a demon crushes his darkened heart it turns into a mirror that shows you the worst of yourself if you look into it. But if the mirror is crushed and one it's shards enters your body it only allows you to feel hate."

He crushed it in his hand and then blew the black shards toward her. One of them landed in her eye.

...

"Got everything ready?" T.J asked his friends. They had spent the whole day preparing to rescue Zoe. Tito's temple was a place of no return. Once someone went there they never came back.

"We're ready." Andrea said.

"You guys aren't coming." Manny stated.

"Why not?"

"You wouldn't stand a chance against my uncle."

"In case you haven't noticed dude. We're not as weak and denfensless as you'd have us believe." Frida said. "In fact I've saved your butt several times."

"But this is my problem."

"Ask me if I care because I don't and I'm coming weather you want me to or not."

"You don't even like Zoe."

"That is very true but I like you and for God knows what reason you like her so as your friend I must help you. Even though I believe you have terrible taste in women."

"T.J help me out here."

"Hey dude leave me out of this. I'm only coming to support you."

"Andrea?"

"She's makes a good argument. Anyway we're helping and that's final."

"Ugh! Nicholas was right I should've stuck to being friends with demons. Fine! You can come! But don't blame me if you get killed! Anyway you better use the bathroom before we go because we're not taking breaks."

With that said they went to the nearest bathroom. Manny went to his room and when he was sure he was alone he pulled out the feather that Tito had left him and carefully stroked it.

"She means a lot to you doesn't she?" Frida asked.

"I...I...I...Yes she does."

"Do you love her?"

"I don't know. I know I care about her and the last thing I would ever do is hurt her."

"Manny you'll be honest with me right?"

"Um...That depends."

"Figures but okay, Manny would you- hypothetically speaking that is. Would you leave me if you fell in love with me?"

Manny burst out laughing.

"Oh that's a good one! Ah-ha! Ha! Ha! Me? Fall in love? With you? Oh man! Ha! Ha!" He laughed so hard that he was crying tears and hardly breathing. However when he saw Frida's unresponsive face which was slightly annoyed he realized this wasn't a joke.

"Oh God you're serious. Well uh...Then this is awkward."

"Yeah, yeah, yuck it up. But seriously you were Zoe's friend but when you felt like you were falling in love with her you left her. You and I are friends and suppose you might fall for me. Would you leave me?"

"Why does it matter? It'll never happen, it's an impossiblity."

"Well excuse me but I'll have you know that somebody falling for me isn't impossible."

"It is for me."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing except as I said when we first met you're not my type."

"Oh right how could I forget? Your type consists of deranged half demon goth girls."

"You know Zoe has a lot better qualities than you think! She's smart, exciting, pretty-"

"So I'm not pretty huh?! Well I figured as much! I know I'm not a beauty like Zoe and most men joke about my appearance but I'm not that ugly am I?"

"I didn't say that! Of course you're not ugly! You're very beautiful!" He clapped his hand over his mouth and blushed.

"Really?" She said smiling. "You think I'm beautiful?"

"Um...Well...I...I...I guess...You are to some men...I mean guys flirt with you so you have to be...But Zoe's a lot prettier."

"Ugh!" PUNCH! "Jerk!"

"Ow! And she was a lot nicer too!"

"Well then give her a kiss for me! As a thank you for nicely trying to kill me!"

Then she marched off fuming. Once everyone had their bathroom break and cooled off they went to the temple of The Metal Demon Tito. It resided somewhere underground in a cave just above Hell. To get there you needed a dead man's coin, T.J knew a demon who owed him a favor so obtaining four dead man's coins was easily done. The cave was like an endless bitter void of eternal darkness. When they arrived there were four caves.

"This place is creepy." T.J said.

"Okay here's the plan. We'll split up to cover more ground." Manny suggested.

The four of them split up and went into different caves. In the third cave Frida heard a shrieking coming further downward. It sounded like some kind of bird in pain. She pulled out her bow and arrow. She continued downward toward the shrieking noise and there she saw a crow bashing it's head against the bars of a cage trying to get loose. Frida opened the cage and the crow flew out taking the form of Zoe when it landed.

"Interesting trick." Frida said unimpressed.

"What are you doing here?" Zoe asked.

"Saving you."

"You're kidding."

"No. Manny's worried sick about you and he won't rest til you're safe."

"He's here?"

"Duh why else would I be here?"

"I thought you didn't like me."

"I don't but he loves you so as his friend I have to help you."

"He loves me huh? Does it hurt you?"

"Oh great not this. No it doesn't hurt me."

"You're lying."

"I am not."

"Yes you are. You love him don't you and it just pains you that his heart belongs to me and not you." She taunted.

"Okay I see what you're doing and it's not working so let's get out of here."

"You do realize once I'm saved he's going to leave you for me."

"I...I'm sure you two will work out whatever problems you have but he's still my friend."

"Is that what he told you? Manny doesn't associate with humans at least not for long. Let's face it he was merely using you as a hiding area. Once he's done with you he'll leave you all alone."

"Can you stop?"

"Why? Does it make you sad? Does it your break your heart?"

"I really don't want to shoot you for his sake but if you push me too far I will."

"Ha! You can't defeat me!"

"Wanna bet?"

"Take your best shot. I dare you."

"Fine! But you asked for it!"

She fired her arrow but Zoe caught it and crushed it.

"Oh Frida how horrible of you." She said. "Imagine what Manny would think if he found out you tried to kill the woman he loved."

"I aimed a few inches from your arm the worst it would do is scratch it! Now can we drop this and go- Ah!"

Zoe seized Frida by her throat.

"How could you possibly think that someone as strong and powerful as Manny could love someone as pathetic and weak as you?"

Tears streamed down Frida's eyes.

"Please stop!" She pleaded. "Please!"

But she didn't. She plunged her hand into Frida's chest and began digging around it.

"What are you doing?! Stop it! Please I can't stand it! You're hurting me! I can't breathe!"

She pulled out a glowing star. It was Frida's heart and once it was out her body, Frida fell to the cold ground seemingly dead. Zoe lifted Frida's wrist up and felt for a pulse.

"Not completely dead yet you have exactly one hour to get your heart back before you die but I doubt you'll be able to." She said. "Three down, one more to go."

In the fourth cave Manny was near the end when metal ooze leaked in. It rose up and took the shape of Tito who was holding an unconscious Zoe.

"Put her down Tito! Now!" Manny demanded.

"As you wish."

He dropped her and then slipped away. Manny rushed to her side and gently shook her.

"Zoe are you okay? Wake up!"

She opened her eyes and smiled at him.

"You saved me. I knew you would."

"I'm so sorry. He didn't hurt you did he?"

"Not nearly as much as you did."

"I'm sorry Zoe but you don't understand getting close to you would cost me my life."

"Figures you don't love anyone but yourself!"

"That's not true! Zoe I'm sorry, look you can live with me in my apartment. We'll start over and try to make things work."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"That's what I've always wanted."

She hugged him and he hugged her back. It felt nice to be with her again but his happy thoughts were stopped when he caught hold of a familiar scent. Zoe smelled like Frida, well technically Frida's scent was on Zoe. Why? Had she run into her.

"Zoe why do you smell like Frida?"

"What?"

"Where's Frida? Is she alright?"

Zoe shoved him away.

"Does she mean more to you than I do?"

"Answer the question Zoe! Where is she?"

Zoe glitches her teeth but her face softened. She snapped her fingers and Frida's motionless body appeared.

"Frida!" He ran to her and lifted up her upper body. She had no breath or pulse and she was cold. "What did you do to her?!"

Zoe held up the the star.

"What is that?"

"It's her heart." She said. "I ripped it out of her chest."

"You...Zoe you didn't!"

"Rest assure she's not dead yet. If her heart is restored in one hour she'll be revived."

"Give it back!"

"Wait! Her heart is very special if I eat it I'll be a full fledged demon and if you eat it you'll be a full fledged spirit. So let's cut her heart in half and split it."

"No!"

"But isn't that what you always wanted? To be a whole spirit?"

"Not at the cost of her life! Give it back now!"

"Or what? You'll kill me? The woman you love? Do you really have it in you to do that?"

Manny didn't know what to do, he just stood there not moving and looking confused. This girl couldn't be Zoe. Not the Zoe he knew, Tito must've done something to her. Zoe could be cruel but she wouldn't do this, would she?

"That's what I thought. Well I hate to see this go to waste."

As she brought the star to her lips Manny tackled her to the ground and tried to pry it from her hands. When she wouldn't let go he punched her in the face causing her to let go of the heart. Manny was horrified by what he did but she looked at him with a face that lacked any emotion.

"I knew it." She said.

"Knew what?"

But she didn't answer. She just changed into a crow and flew away. Manny looked at the star heart and then placed it back inside Frida's chest. For five minutes there was complete silence then she sat up with her eyes open and breathing heavily.

"Frida are you okay?" He asked her.

She looked at him. Her face was ghost white, her body was shaking and trembling, and tears began to stream down her face.

"I was dead." She whispered. "I was dead! I was dead!"

"No Frida. You're not dead." Manny said calmly.

"My heart stopped! I couldn't breathe! I was dying!"

She buried her face in his shirt and started crying, Manny had never seen her cry before and he had never seen her so scared. Whatever Zoe did to her it petrified Frida halfway to death. Manny wrapped his arms around her, she couldn't stop shaking or sobbing.

"It's okay." He calmed her. "You're safe now, it's gonna be alright."

"She...She...She tried to kill me." She wept.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry. I promise I won't let her hurt you again."

Meanwhile back in the other caves...

"Keep pulling Andrea!" T.J begged.

"I am!" She said.

He had walked into some quicksand and was sinking like a ship. Andrea was relying on all her strength to pull him out.

"Andrea if I don't make it tell Bernice I love her!"

"What?!" She said letting go of him. "Who the hell is Bernice?"

"Ahh! Andrea! I'm sinking!"

"Who is Bernice?"

"Andrea now is not the time!"

"Who is she?"

"Oh for the love of God! She's my grandma! Now help me!"

She took a deep breath and pulled harder than she ever had to the point of where her face turned red. Luckily she managed to get him out.

"Thanks." T.J breathed.

"No problem. Now let's try and find the others."

She helped him up and led him out of the cave where Manny stood waiting for them while holding Frida who was asleep in his arms.

"What happened to you two?" T.J asked.

"We're going home." Manny said.

"What about Zoe?"

"We're going home. You guys can either stay or go."

"Okay." T.J said confused.

"What on earth happened to them?" Andrea asked.

"I don't know. But I'm guessing it was bad."


	21. Chapter 21

Frida had been asleep for hours the next day, the previous events from last night had left her shaken up bad. Her family bought the excuse that Frida was like this because she had almost been hit by a truck though her mother wasn't fully convinced.

"I'm really worried about her." Manny said to T.J and Andrea. "Is she gonna be alright?"

"She'll recover but there's no saying when." T.J said. "Frida experienced what is was like to be dead and it was horrifying especially since instead of moving on her soul was temporarily trapped in a dead body. Coming back from that can have serious scars."

"What exactly did Zoe do to Frida?" Andrea asked.

"She ripped out her heart and tried to eat it." Manny said.

"Whoa! Time out! So your ex girlfriend is a deranged half demon and a cannibal? Boy do you know how to pick em." T.J said.

"I still don't believe Zoe wanted to do that. Something about her just didn't seem right." Manny said.

"What do you mean?"

"When I hit her she showed no response, no emotion, nothing and her eyes they looked glassy and behind that glass there was nothing but pure anger and hatred."

"Hmm...I'll have to look into that but what I'm really curious about is once Frida's heart was ripped out she should've died almost immediately not fall into a temporary coma. If she's human how on earth is that possible?"

"Well you guys didn't see her heart. It didn't even look like a heart."

"What did it look like?" Andrea said.

"It looked like a star."

"Are you sure that it was a star?" T.J asked. "Absolutely positive?"

"I don't know what else it could've been. It was bright, shiny, and it was the lightest thing I had ever held."

"Is there anything else you know about it?"

"Zoe said something about her becoming a full demon or me becoming a full spirit if one of us ate it."

T.J began flipping through his book until he found a page with a picture of people with what appeared to be stars where their hearts should be.

"They're called heavenly healers." T.J read. "Humans who descended from angels living on earth, instead of having the average human heart they have stars which give them the power to break evil spells and heal flesh wounds and diseases but it's limited per person."

"Limited? What does that mean?" Andrea asked.

"It means sometimes their powers will work and sometimes they won't. This is to prevent any human, spirit, or demon from living forever."

"And the whole eating her heart?" Andrea said.

"If the heart of a heavenly healer is consumed by anyone then they can achieve immortality and become all powerful."

"Well so much for making sure nobody lives forever." Manny said.

"Rest assured Manny, those sick enough to eat that heart may never grow old but it doesn't mean they'll never die and I hear the big guy up there has way of making sure that never happens."

"So are all heavenly healers good?" Andrea said.

"Well because their ancestors were angels most of them are but they're still human beings meaning that they can become evil and if one does turn to darkness their heart becomes tainted and they lose their powers." He flipped another page. "Here are the three angels who took human form."

On the page were three people: a grown man, a little girl, and a young lady. The young lady looked like a teenager, she was dressed in white with brown hair that was tied back, rosy cheeks, and blue eyes.

"Who's that?" Manny asked pointing to the teenager.

"That's Katarina. She, her older brother Joaquin, and their younger sister Ramona were born on earth from the three drops of blood by one God's loyal angels. They used their powers to help mankind for many years."

"She looks just like Frida." Manny pointed out. "Give her blue hair and they could be twins."

"You're right." Andrea agreed. "What happened to them?"

"Katarina fell in love with a young demon called Arturo. She tried to change him, to free the darkness in his heart and he was willing to change but someone killed Katarina. The humans who she helped blamed Arturo and later killed him. Sometime after that Joaquin was killed by Arturo's father and Ramona died as well but not before marrying a human and birthing a daughter who was the first heavenly healer ever born."

"I've never heard of Arturo." Manny said.

"Me either." Andrea said.

T.J flipped a few more pages and stopped at one that showed a picture of a young man wearing gray and black attire with straight black hair, freckles, and green eyes.

"He was the first natural born demon to be good. His family expected him to be evil but falling in love with Katarina made him lean toward to being good. He couldn't decided which one."

"He looks like you Manny." Andrea said. "Different hair but you're almost identical."

"Really? I don't see it."

"She's right." T.J said. "Strong family resemblance."

"Family resemblance? You're saying I'm related to that guy?"

"It says here his younger brother was the great, great, great grandfather of Rodolfo Rivera a.k.a your father so that makes him your great, great, great, great grandfather and Arturo your great, great, great, great uncle."

"Great another weirdo I'm related to."

"Could've been worse."

"I'm gonna go check in on Frida." Manny turned invisible and sneaked over to her house. But on his way there he smelled a local peddler spirit, they were known to be very greedy and cheap with their merchandise but the stuff they sold had magical properties. He bought one for Frida and then continued on to her house. Luckily she was awake but she looked so pale and was trembling. He knocked on the window. She got out of bed and let him in.

"Hey how are you feeling?" He asked her.

"I don't know. It's all foreign to me."

"Frida you have no idea how sorry I am about last night I swear I never thought she would try to hurt you."

"It's okay you can't see the future."

"If you don't mind me asking what did it feel like?"

"It was so very cold and dark. I couldn't see, I couldn't hear, I couldn't move, and I couldn't breathe. It was like I was dying but at the same time I wasn't. I don't think I had ever been more scared in my life."

"Again I am so sorry. But I have something that might make it up to you." He stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out a heart shaped locket with a star engraved on it.

"It's beautiful." she said amazed by it. "Where did you get this?"

"A peddler spirit and it cost me one of my fangs." He said licking the spot inside his mouth where the fang had been pulled.

"Your fangs?"

"Apparently my teeth are worth a lot in the spirit world."

"Did it hurt?"

"A little but no big deal it was a baby fang so I'll get an adult one. Anyway he told me that this was specially made to protect hearts, if you wear it no one will be able to get your heart."

"Really? Thanks...Um...Can you put it on me?"

"Sure whatever."

He carefully hooked the chain around her neck.

"How do I look?" She asked.

"With your eyes." He said.

"Ha, ha, very funny you know you don't have me fooled."

"What are you talking about?"

"That whole tough guy act. You act like you're this great big tough guy when the truth is you're just a big softy underneath."

"Be quiet! Before I change my mind and sell that thing."

"I'm never gonna take it off you know."

"I imagine since some people might try to rip out your heart and eat it."

"Just saying and- hey. How did you know that?"

"T.J looked it up in his book, you're some type of healer. Why didn't you tell me?"

"At first I didn't know and when I did find out I promised my grandma I wouldn't tell."

"Is that why you can see me? Even if I'm invisible?"

"Yes."

"I knew you weren't a normal human."

"I take that as a compliment. So you bought me this to keep my heart safe, if I didn't know any better I'd say you care about me."

"I...I...Well I...Okay so I care a little bit I am half human after all."

"You know you keep saying that you being kind and caring comes from your human half and yet your father who was a full spirit loved and cared for your mother who was a human. Is it possible that you could care for others weather or not you're a halfling?"

"I don't know but can we please not talk about my old man?"

"Sorry, anyway thank you." She planted a kiss on his cheek making him blush. "Listen why don't we play some video games?"

"You sure you're up to it?"

"I'm always up to video games."

He smiled and joined her in their game unaware that they were being watched by Tito.

"Oh Manny you're more like your father than you think. How it sickens me that you both lost your hearts to human women." He snarled. "Dare I say you love that human girl more than you ever loved anyone else even Zoe who I'm controlling like a puppet on a string."

"You won't get away with this!" An angry voice called. Tito had captured both of his brothers and imprisoned them.

"Rodolfo I really didn't want to do this but I can't have you stopping me from killing your son."

"You're insane! How can you do this?! He's your nephew!"

"Just because we share the same blood doesn't mean I care for him. You know you'd be proud of him because he's following in your footsteps."

"What are you talking about?"

"Getting involved with demonic women only to abandon them and become enamored with human women. Tell me what is about the men in our family that makes them fall for women weaker than they are? Our great, great, great uncle fell for an angel, Father fell for a spirit, you fell in love with a mortal woman, and your son has also fallen in love with a mortal."

"I swear if you do anything to hurt my wife or my son I'll kill you."

"You can't protect them. Not so long as you're trapped behind bars made in the fires of hell."

"You truly are monster. You're more evil than our father at least he wouldn't hurt anyone in the family!"

"Family is overrated and so is love."

"What exactly did you do to that poor girl?"

"Zoe? Simple I placed a shard of a demon's mirror in her eye. Now all she feels is anger and hate toward everyone even the ones she loves. I hoping it'll drive her to kill Manny."

"Why?"

"Because we both know he'd never kill her even to save his own life."

"You're sick! Twisted! I swear you will suffer for all you've done!"

"Not as much as your son is going to suffer. Before I send Zoe on him I'm going to kill that human girl right in front of him, make him wish he was dead and then have Zoe grant it. Just like how I made you suffer by beating your wife to a pulp and then selling her as a slave."

"YOU UNIMAGINABLE BASTARD!" Rodolfo transformed and tried to claw at him but the bars kept him from touching him. "WHERE IS MY WIFE?! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER?!"

Tito just cackled and left him there.


	22. Chapter 22

It was an average day in Miracle City, all the students attending school were waiting for their assignments to be given to them by their teacher.

"Good morning class." Their teacher said. "Sorry I'm late but the traffic was murder. We will begin with homework checks. Manny Rivera and Frida Suarez I assume you don't have yours again."

"That is correct." Manny said.

"Of course well those of you who did do it let me say-"

But he was interrupted when the ground shook and then something shot out of the ground like a bullet. It broke through the ceiling and went high up but came back down and landed in the classroom. All the girls gasped when it was revealed by the good looking and mysterious Django.

"Django?" Frida said surprised to see him here.

"Ah Frida." He said smiling. "You are as beautiful as Manny is stupid!"

Frida blushed, Manny growled. Django grabbed a hand and began kissing it.

"I have missed you as the sun misses the dawn." He said.

"Well that's very flattering..." Frida trailed off.

"But that's my hand pal!" Manny snapped pulling it away. "And I can easily turn it into a fist!"

"Hello Rivera, miss me?" He asked.

"Not really."

"Here now what are you doing barging into my class young man!" The teacher said.

"Zip it gramps!"

"What are you doing here Django?" Manny demanded.

"I'm just here to make an announcement." He said. "It's the annual Harvest Moon Ball tonight. A romantic evening where the spirits, demons, and other creatures join together for music and dancing and I am here to personally invite the lovely Frida Suarez to attend this event as my date."

"Me?" Frida said.

"Her?!" Every other girl said in surprise.

"So what do you say?" He asked her.

"Well I-"

"Sorry! She's not interested!" Manny interjected.

"Manny what's the matter with you?" Frida asked.

"Hello arch rival here. I don't trust him and furthermore I don't want you around him."

"Excuse me! Who are you? My Dad?" She said.

"No, no, that's okay Frida. I can understand him being protective over you after all I've had a history of breaking hearts." Django said.

"Django I would love to be your date." Frida said. "But only if my friends can come."

"Ugh! Fine." He handed her four invitations. "Also it's a costume ball so you'll need a costume. It starts at sun down and to get there you have go through the cemetery and look for a crypt with a red door."

With that said he disappeared in flames. After school Manny and Frida met up with T.J and Andrea, telling them about the ball and Django inviting them.

"This is great." T.J said. "It's been too long since I've gone to somewhere exciting. I can see the babes now and if I'm lucky I'll be able to have some alone time with them."

SLAP!

"Ow! What?!"

"There's no way I'm going to let that happen." Andrea said.

"Jealous?"

"Oh please. Don't make me sick."

"Well if I can't flirt will you be my date?"

"No way."

"Okay then I'll just find another. One who will appreciate my charms."

"So you can take advantage of some poor innocent girl? No. I'll go as your date but just only to protect the other innocent girls you would prey on."

"I can't believe you all are actually going to this." Manny said.

"Come on Manny it could be fun." Frida said.

"Oh yeah watching you and Django dancing cheek to cheek. Totally fun. Won't see you two smooching will I?"

"Of course not I hardly know him." She said. "Right now my biggest concern is finding a suitable costume."

"We can stop by the costume store or just the mall." Andrea said.

"You three can go and have fun at the dead feast but I'm going home. See ya!" Manny said.

Manny went back to his apartment. He couldn't believe she was actually going with that creep. Why? What was so great about him? Manny tried to ignore it but soon the thought of Frida and Django slow dancing got to him real bad so he went to the costume store to buy something to wear. But the only thing in his size was a suit that consisted of a long sleeved black shirt with a collar and gold stitching complete with a cape and boots.

"Not bad." He said admiring how he looked in it in the mirror.

"Hey kid are you gonna pay this time or are you gonna rob me like you did last Halloween?" The clerk said impatiently. 

...

"But Dad why can't I go?" Frida asked when she told her father about her plans.

"Because it's with a boy!" He said.

"Come on please! Andrea and T.J will be there." She gave him the baby eyes.

"Oh...Alright but I pick your outfit."

"Noooo. You'll just make me wear a turtleneck sweater and long skirt."

"Well you're definitely not wearing that cocktail dress I saw you about to order online."

"I have an idea." Carmela said. "She can wear my old costume from when I was in theatre."

"No Mom." Frida said.

"I know what you're thinking hija but it's adorable. Come see."

She went up into the attic and pulled out a box which contained the costume from a play she was in.

"What do you think?" She asked.

"I don't know." Frida said unsure.

"It's this or your father's choice."

"Ugh!...Fine!" She groaned.

"Trust me Hija you will look beautiful."

"That's what you said when you made me wear that poofy yellow dress at Easter and I looked ridiculous."

"Well this is different. I promise you."

She got dressed in her mother's costume which was a perfect fit. Then her mother and her sisters came in to do her hair and make up. Sometime later Andrea and T.J came by to pick her up. Andrea wore a gold and red dress with a silk corset, trim, and flats. T.J wore a white dress shirt, brown jacket, stockings, and boots.

"Wow you look great." Andrea said to her.

"You sure?" Frida asked.

"Hubba-hubba." T.J said before whistling. "You looked good before but now you look amazing."

"Thank you. You guys look good to?"

"Shall we?" T.J asked offering his arm.

She locked her arm with his while Andrea had his other arm and they walked to the cemetery until they found a glowing red crypt. They opened it to reveal a passage way that led to an underground ball room. Music played and spirits, demons, and humans alike were dancing. Manny couldn't recognize anyone except Django who was dressed as the red death.

"Wow original." He thought sarcastically. "Where could Frida be?"

He saw T.J flirting with girls and Andrea pinching his ear to drag him away from them. Then he saw Django speaking to Frida. She was beautiful, she wore a dress that consisted of a midnight blue bodice that was decorated with stars, sleeves that were short and below the shoulder, and a skirt which was pink and also decorated with stars. She wore sliver boots on her feet and her hair was pinned back with a moon comb. He had never seen her look so beautiful and for a brief moment he almost lost himself.

When Django left to get a drink he walked over to see her.

"Hi." He said.

"Hi." She said back.

He gently took her hand and brought it up to his lips to kiss the back of it making her become flustered and nervous.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"I am but why...Why...Why did you do that?"

"Every other guy was doing it. I just wanted to blend in."

"Gotcha. So you're here."

"I am."

"I'm so glad you came."

"I only came for the free food not because I thought this was fun."

"Okay. Do you wanna dance?"

"What about your date?"

"He's getting a drink. We have time for one dance."

"I'm not much of a dancer."

"You can't dance?"

"No. I can dance I just don't do it that very often. To be honest I'd rather not."

"Alright I'll just dance with Django."

"Then again one dance won't kill me."

"Great."

Across from them, T.J turned to Andrea.

"Andrea." He said kissing her hand.

"What?" She asked, trying to hard how charmed she felt.

"May have the pleasure?"

"Pleasure?" She said nervously. "What pleasure?"

"Of dancing with you."

"Well I...Uh...Um...You see...I-I-I-I."

"I-I-I think that's a yes."

The lights began to dim as a new song was prepared. Manny led Frida over to the floor. He bowed, she curtsied, he held her right hand in his left hand while he placed his right hand around her waist and her left hand gently grasped his shoulder, beginning their waltz. They did long strides with Manny spinning and dipping Frida a few times. She was amazed by how good he was at dancing, it almost seemed like they were on air. She then looked down to find that they were no longer on the ground. She gasped and clung to him nervously.

"Are we floating?" She asked.

"A little trick I picked up over the years. It's not long but it's the best I can do."

She giggled then wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder making him blush and feel flustered. But he smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist as he lowered them back on the ground. After that they just held each other and swayed slowly.

"What the hell is this?!" Django pulled Manny away from Frida. "Rivera! What are you doing with my girl?!"

"Your girl? You don't own her." Manny said.

"She was my date!"

"Django we were just dancing." Frida said.

"Shut up Frida! I don't want you spreading your legs for anyone but me!"

"You bastard!" Manny punched him and held him to the floor. "Don't you ever talk to her like that! Ever! You apologize this instant!"

"Rivera you're crazy!"

"Apologize or I'll break your skull!"

"Fine! Frida I'm sorry! I was rude! Forgive me!"

"And?" Manny twisted his arm.

"Ow! Ow! And I'm a dirty, disgusting, son of a bitch! Now let me go! Losing feeling! Losing feeling!"

Manny released him and he ran off.

"You alright?" Manny asked Frida.

"Ye...Yes...Um I think I wanna go home now."

"Okay."

"Where are T.J and Andrea?"

They found them dancing cheek to cheek, blushing, and smiling.

"Awww." Frida sighed.

"Ewww." Manny gagged. "I hate it when humans get affectionate."

"Shut up this is romantic."

But T.J and Andrea's dance of love and romance was put to a stop when he grouped her behind.

SLAP!

"Ow!"

"You pervert!" She cried.

"Sorry but can you blame me? You have a nice ass."

SLAP!

"Ow!"

"I'm out of here."

During the walk back Frida didn't say a word. She was surprised by what Manny did back there and somewhat flattered. She never imagined he would do something like that for her. She found it quite chivalrous and before that he was behaving like such a gentleman. She hated to admit it but she actually found him attractive back there.

"Are you okay?" Manny asked her.

"Yeah I...I just wanted to say thank you."

"For what? Beating up your boyfriend?"

"He's not my boyfriend, I don't even like him. I only went out with him to do something fun."

"Oh...Well it's not like I care."

"You wanna know a secret?"

"That depends is it disturbing?"

"No."

"Okay what is it?"

"You're the sweetest guy I've ever met."

She kissed his cheek.

"Will you stop that?!"

"Stop what?"

"This nice stuff. It's creeping me out."

"You're so silly." She giggled.

"Okay you're seriously scaring me right now."

"Goodnight Manny." She said going to the door of her house.

"Um...What just happened?" Manny said feeling confused.

"Dude are you that blind?" T.J asked.

"What?"

"She totally likes you maybe even loves you."

"What?! That's not true?!"

"Oh yes it is. She loves you and you love her. Manny and Frida sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-"

"Shut up!" PUNCH! "I do not love her! I'm not some creepy lecher like you! Okay?!"

He then transformed and ran back to his apartment. Andrea helped T.J off the ground.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Ow! How many times are people going to hit me today?"

"Don't worry when we get back I'll get the first aid kit and fix you up."

"Beautiful and compassionate, Andrea you are my dream woman."

"Easy Casanova."


	23. Chapter 23

_It was storming one night. A man was driving down the street in the storm, with him was his ten year old son and six year old daughter. Suddenly they were hit by a truck being driven by a drunk driver. Their car spun out of control and tumbled over the edge. The man and his children jumped out, he managed to grab on to a root and catch his daughter while his son held on to his leg._

_"Dad! I'm slipping!" The boy cried._

_"Hold on Carlos!" _ _The man shouted. "Help! Somebody help us!"_

_There was a flash and a hooded figure appeared._

_"Who are you?" The man asked._

_"A Demon who is willing to save your son but only if I can have him." The figure said._

_"What?! You're insane! Never!"_

_"Dad!" The boy's hand slipped and he fell toward the ground._

_"Save him!" He cried._

_The demon caught the boy._

_"Give him back!" The man demanded._

_"He's mine now!"_

_With that said the demon disappeared taking the boy._

_"Carlos no!" The little girl screamed._

Andrea woke up screaming. Another nightmare about the terrible day when that demon appeared and took her brother. It was on that day she vowed that somehow someway she'd get him back. She hardly said a word to anyone that day which concerned her friends.

"Andrea is something wrong?" Frida asked.

"No. Everything's fine." She said glumly.

"She's lying. She was up all night because some nightmare spooked her." T.J said.

"That's not true!" She denied.

"Yes it is, I walked by your room last night and you were screaming in your sleep. I would've waken you up myself but you had already waken up yourself."

"What were you dreaming about?" Frida asked.

"Nothing it's just a stupid nightmare."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"It's nothing!"

"Hey there's nothing wrong with being scared by a bad dream it happens to everyone."

"Yeah even Manny." T.J said.

"What are you talking about? I don't get scared by bad dreams." Manny objected.

"Oh yeah? What about those recurring nightmares about losing your mother?" Frida said.

"Well I-"

"Nicholas giving you a wedgie?" Andrea added.

"That was-"

"And Frida running off with Django?" T.J finished.

"Shut up!" Manny punched him.

"Wait what was that last part?" Frida asked.

"The point is it happens to everyone and it usually helps to talk about it." T.J said.

"Alright." Andrea sighed. "It was about the night I lost my brother. I've had it ever since I was a little kid."

"I'm sorry." T.J said. "You really miss him don't you?"

"Yes and I promised my father that one day I would find him."

"Do you know what demon took him?" T.J asked.

"It was a long time ago and he wore a cloak."

"Well I promise you Andrea I will help you find this demon but I'm merely a beginner if we want to find an unknown demon we'll have to consult an expert."

Five minutes...

"Madame Bernice's seer of the future and supernatural?" Manny said. "You're expert is a fortune teller?"

"You'd be surprised how connected fortune tellers are to the super natural. Also she's my grandma and I haven't visited her in awhile."

T.J knocked on the door. Instead of an answer the door opened by itself. They walked in and approached the stand. T.J hit the bell and an old man appeared.

"Who dare disturbs the great Madame Bernice?" He asked.

"Drop it Grandpa it's me." T.J said.

"Oh what do you want?"

"We need to see Grandma."

"Pay up."

"You always were a cheapskate." T.J pulled out some money and handed it to the old man.

"She's in the back."

The four teenagers went into the back room to see an old woman sitting at a table with a crystal ball, some cards, and candles while smoking a cigarette. When she saw T.J she lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Tulio Jr!" She cried. T.J flinched at the mention of his name while the others giggled. She hugged her grandson so tight that he turned blue. "I've missed you."

"Me too." He choked.

"Why don't you visit me more?"

"I've been busy oh and um these are my friends. Manny, Frida and Andrea. Listen Grandma we need your help."

"With what?"

"Well we're looking for an unidentified demon who kidnapped Andrea's brother. We we're wondering if maybe you could tell us who he is?"

"Perhaps but first let me see who everyone is." He took Andrea's hand.

"Um what are you doing?" She asked.

"Reading your palm." She studied the palm of her hand carefully. "Oh my you are a very strong young lady."

"Thanks."

"Brave and independent yet you are suffering the loss of a loved one. I can assure you will heal from it and I see you living a long lifeline and having a wonderful family."

She did Frida next, she carefully ran her fingers across the girl's palm.

"You have holy powers from heaven and you posses a very strong and pure heart." She said. "I see you getting married to a very powerful young man and you will bear a very powerful child."

"Cool."

She then took Manny's hand last. A shocked and surprised look crossed her face when she read his palm.

"This is incredible. You have both spirit and human blood flowing through your veins, you live between life and death, normal and paranormal."

"I kind of already knew that."

"There's more. Your past and hers." She said pointing to Frida. "Are intertwined, an ancestor of yours and hers did something and it will come back again to haunt you both."

"Okay...Anything else you wanna creep us out with?"

"Three worlds."

"What do you mean three worlds?"

"You are half human and half spirit meaning you can travel between two worlds earth and hell but in time you will play a role in creating the one who can travel between all three worlds heaven, earth, and hell."

"Time out! That's impossible. The only way somebody could travel between all three without dying is if they're one third human, one third spirit or demon, and one third angel."

"Exactly."

"Grandma that's impossible." T.J said. "A human, spirit/demon, and angel can't have a child together. It takes two to have a child, one male being and one female being biologically there is no third parent."

"Who said it had to be born that way?"

"What other way is there? And how on earth does Manny play a part in it's creation?"

"I don't know he just does maybe he he fathers this child."

"No because halflings can't have children." Manny said.

"Oh then maybe you drive the mother to sleep with the father. That aside now Andrea tell me when did this demon kidnap your brother."

"It was ten years ago."

"Do you remember any distinct features about him?"

"No."

"Then I shall read your memories and find out for myself."

She grabbed a dream catcher over Andrea's head. It glowed and began to display Andrea's memories of that night. She began to cry as she watched it take place, T.J held her hand comfortingly.

"That demon is by far the most evil thing ever created in our town." Bernice said. "And he has a relation to that halfling."

"It's my uncle isn't it?" Manny asked.

"I believe so."

"Why did he take my brother?" Andrea demanded.

"When this demon became corrupt he lost half of his power and has been doing everything he can to get it back. By draining the life force and strength of those innocent and good. I suspect he took your brother because he was a child and children are the ultimate innocence. But when he started to become a man he wasn't of any real use to him."

"Then why didn't he just let him go?"

"I also suspect he might've manipulated him into being a loyal follower. He lies and manipulates people into following him and to finding more innocents to feed him. Like children, mothers, and young virgin girls. He's a very sick deity that must be destroyed."

"What can we do?" Manny asked.

"You need to find his weak spot and pierce it with his greatest weakness. It'll take him completely out of existence."

"Do you know his weak spot?"

"Nobody does. He found a way to keep it secret from anyone even from the book."

"Then what's his greatest weakness?"

"Pure and unselfish love. The love of family, friends, the love between a man and woman, he hates it because love can never die and it's good's greatest weapon. It was the love of his parents and older brothers that allowed them to seal him away all those years ago. Andrea your love for Carlos is the only thing that will break Tito's hold on him."

"But how do you pierce something with love?" T.J said.

"I don't know but it's the only thing that can destroy him. You all pose as potential threats for him. Protect each other, all of you. Your friendship alone is as strong as any sword. And you must resist his influence, he'll try to turn you against each other and if he succeeds he'll control all of you." She warned. "So cookie anyone?"

"Dude your grandma is creepy." Manny whispered to T.J.

They said goodbye to Bernice and thanked her for her services.

"What could the monster possibly want with my brother?" Andrea said.

"We'll find him Andrea." Manny promised. "We just need to figure out where my uncle is."

"Yes but he could be anywhere." T.J said.

"Still we gotta start somewhere." Frida said.


End file.
